ZUNI, NM (Aug. 4, 2023) — Summer is a critical time of year for the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project’s Food Sovereignty initiative, which is made possible with support from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Native American Agriculture Fund, New Mexico Department of Health and Newman’s Own Foundation. Not only is this the active growing season, it’s also the season for sharing knowledge and gaining experience through ZYEP’s Summer Camp, community workshops, and family gardens program.
During the 15th annual Summer Camp, ZYEP’s Food Sovereignty team and 21 counselors guided 120 campers ages 6-12 through a four-week journey that combined agriculture and art. According to Zachary James, ZYEP Food Sovereignty team member and water conservation specialist, each week was dedicated to an element of the nonprofit youth project’s Food Sovereignty motto.
“Our motto is, ‘We Grow, We Share, We Eat, We Save,’” he explained. “So, the first week was all about ‘We Grow.’ Our campers planted onions in pots that they could take home, they journaled and drew their dream gardens, and we took some of the older campers to visit other gardens in our community.”
For the second week’s “We Share” activities, campers created sidewalk art with chalk and rock art with acrylic paint, which really made the ZYEP greenhouse “pop,” James said. They also made lists of things that were important to them, and they went home with instructions to show appreciation for these things.
“During the third week, for ‘We Eat,’ the campers tried different types of produce,” James said. “Many of them had never tried radishes, which are one of our cold weather crops. They also made origami butterflies and both stencil and freehand drawings for the greenhouse.”
For “We Save,” the campers learned about the differences between GMO and non-GMO seeds as well as the importance of seed-saving and conserving water. They also created plastic decorations for chain link fence around the greenhouse.
“We had an awesome time, even though it was hot,” James remembered. “It was a chillax vibe for creating art. Some of our kids haven’t had the opportunity to be in a garden, so decorating our garden space with their art makes it feel like it belongs to them. It makes it feel like home.”
During the four weeks of Summer Camp, Zuni youth also had opportunities to take nutrition classes with Food Sovereignty team members Brittny Seowtewa, Kenzi Bowekaty and Khassia Hattie. During the first week, they made salad with homemade dressing and fruit; the second week, they learned about sugary drinks.
“We brought in store-bought drinks and then measured how many teaspoons of real sugar were in each drink,” Seowtewa said. “Then we dumped it all out to show them how much sugar that is. They were shocked.
“Then we taught them how to make homemade lemonade that would taste good with less sugar,” she added.
In the third week, the campers made mango salsa with blue corn chips, and in the fourth week, they made corn quesadillas with fresh pico de gallo. The team handed out heirloom seeds, in keeping with the “We Save” portion of the motto, and the children each went home with a cutting board, a plastic knife, and an apron they decorated.
“I remember the kids leaving class laughing and smiling,” James recalled. “They were talking about how good the lemonade and salsa were. These memories will stick with them.”
“We plan this all out, but it’s the kids who make it so special,” Seowtewa noted. “They bring the lessons to life and make them fun. The things they say, their imaginations… they’re so comfortable being themselves when they’re here.”
In addition to hosting Summer Camp for Zuni youth, ZYEP also has been busy with monthly Food Sovereignty workshops for community members of all ages. These are free and open to the public.
On June 14, the Water Conservation Workshop drew roughly 50 families to learning stations that involved games, educational activities, and the sharing of important cultural knowledge. All families went home with shade cloths for their gardens.
“It was Kenzi’s idea, with support from our Agriculture Committee, to have a table dedicated to cultural knowledge sharing,” Seowtewa said. “It was wonderful to have this open dialogue, so this table will now be a feature at all of our community workshops. It’s cool to see friendships develop as people help and support each other.”
Approximately 40 families attended the Pest Management Workshop on July 12. They learned about fencing, do’s and don’ts, and beneficial insects versus pests; they played games including “Pin the Tail on the Prairie Dog”; they designed seed-saving boxes and pots; and they took home bottles of ZYEP’s homemade pest-control recipe.
The next workshop is coming up on August 23, and it will focus on healthy recipes from the garden and how to prepare them. The final workshops of the season will take place in September and October, and they will comprise a two-part series dedicated to seed-saving.
“We’ll also be doing our ‘Proud to Be a Shiwi Farmer’ family visits,” Seowtewa said. Eighty families registered this season to receive Garden Kits and rain barrels for their home-gardening and water-conservation efforts.
According to James, the summer heat has been a major topic in recent weeks. Families have approached the ZYEP Food Sovereignty team during workshops to ask questions and share information about best practices for protecting their plants.
“We talk about watering only at certain times of the day, conserving water and using only what you need, and moisture retention,” he explained. “Ground cover and shade cloths also are important tools.”
As fall approaches, ZYEP is preparing for the Agricultural Showcase at the Zuni Fair in late September. The team also is looking forward to the fall series of Family Cook Nights.
These monthly cooking events are major highlights in the annual Food Sovereignty program calendar. Offered in person and via Zoom, they give families in the Pueblo of Zuni new opportunities to make multiple-course meals using nutritious, plant-based ingredients.
To learn more about the Zuni Youth Enrichment Project and its programs, and for information about making donations, partnering with ZYEP, and volunteering, call (505) 782-8000 or visit zyep.org. And, to stay up to date on the latest news and events, follow the nonprofit youth organization on Facebook (/zuniyouthenrichmentproject), Instagram (@zuniyouthenrichmentproject), YouTube (/ZuniYouth), and TikTok (/zyep09)
Founded in 2009, the nonprofit Zuni Youth Enrichment Project is dedicated to promoting resilience among Zuni youth so they will grow into strong, healthy adults who are connected with Zuni traditions. ZYEP fulfills its mission by providing positive role models, enriching programs, and nurturing spaces that contribute to the healthy development of Zuni youth. ZYEP strives to provide every child with the encouragement and opportunities they need to reach their full potential.
