Meskwaki Food Sovereignty

09/28/2026

There are a few more spots open for the upcoming Deer Processing Clinic. Class will be held on Saturday, October 10th beginning at 8 am. Please contact Caleb at the MNPD for more information or to sign up! (641) 484-4844!

09/11/2026

Click link to register: https://meskwaki.jotform.com/262515648328059

05/12/2026

The Food Forest Listening Session that was to be held 05/13 and the Seed & Transplant Giveaway that was scheduled for 05/13-05/14 have been postponed to a later date, see details below!

Community-centered Food Forest Listening Session at the downstairs classroom of the Meskwaki Recreation and Community Center

•Tuesday, May 19 | 2:00pm - 3:30 pm

Provide input through a facilitated discussion with our project partner TreesForever to inform the planning & implementation of a community-centered food forest initiative!

Seed & Transplant Giveaway for Community Members at Red Earth Gardens

• Wednesday, May 20 | 08:30am - 04:30 pm

• Thursday, May 21 | 08:30am - 05:00 pm

Pick up some plants, tips, tricks, and traditional heirloom seeds for this growing season!

04/08/2026

Recently, the Meskwaki Food Sovereignty program has been working with other tribal operation departments, including MNR and Public Works, to bring together a community-centered food forestry initiative that revives ancestral intercropping systems and repairs relationships with traditional foods and landscapes that have long nourished the Meskwaki people. This project has been granted funding through the USDA Forest Service and Iowa DNR, and we would like to invite Meskwaki community members and Meskwaki Nation employees to a listening session for the community-centered food forest initiative.

The session will be a facilitated discussion with our project partner TreesForever to gather feedback, concerns, and ideas from the community that will inform PHASE 1 - Planning & Implementation of the community-centered food forest initiative. The project sites funded for development include the lot west of Rainbow Park and area surrounding the Workforce Development building.

Your input at this listening session will help us meet the needs and interests of the community as we begin assessing sites and making plans for agroforestry development. Examples of key topics to address for this project include community guidelines for use of the food forest sites and their long-term management.

The session will take place on Thursday, April 30th from 2:30pm - 4:00pm in the downstairs classroom of the Rec Center and be facilitated by Jeff Jensen with TreesForever.

The interest RSVP form to attend will close on Wednesday, April 29 at 4:30 PM.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP FOR THE LISTENING SESSION:
https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=ftMrp5NPLkmj2r8nQaGYuklqKPzFIIRPu2LXhdFnz81UOTVQMk5KSUtXVEJZR1lLRFE0S0VWWkxMNi4u&route=shorturl

04/06/2026

Join us for our seasonal Seed & Transplant Giveaway! We will be holding this giveaway on Wed., May 6 from 8:30am-4:30pm and Thu., May 7 from 8:30am-5pm at Red Earth Gardens.

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced gardener, we're here to help - advice, tips and gardening information will be available for anyone who needs guidance.

We'll be offering a variety of vegetable plants, including:
Bell Peppers
Jalapenos
Watermelon
Cucumbers
Butternut Squash
Yellow Onions
Zucchini
Slicer & Roma Tomatoes

We will also have traditional heirloom seeds available. Plus, a beautiful selection of flowers!

02/17/2026

Food Forestry Initiative Community Input Survey – Meskwaki Food Sovereignty Program

• The purpose of this survey is to collect feedback on developing a community-centered food forest initiative, including walking/biking paths.

• Goal: Establish a baseline understanding of people’s general awareness and interest for future projects related to food sovereignty and the community-centered food forest initiative.

Submit a response here - https://forms.office.com/g/Guj22Mysin

Food Forestry Initiative Community Input Survey – Meskwaki Food Sovereignty Program

•The purpose of this survey is to collect feedback on developing a community-centered food forest initiative, including walking/biking paths.

•Goal: Establish a baseline understanding of people’s general awareness and interest for future projects related to food sovereignty and the community-centered food forest initiative.

Submit a response here - https://forms.office.com/g/Guj22Mysin