Shannon Freed, graduate of our Pine Ridge PDC, did not waste any time applying her permaculture knowledge. She held a 10 week apprenticeship at Pine Ridge which resulted in a beautiful cob home being built for a Lakota on the reservation.

We have done two Kickstarter campaigns for Pine Ridge to pay for irrigation, plant trees and a number of other projects we have ongoing. See our photos, stories and more at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/892430421/permablitz-for-pine-ridge-reservation-2013, {now expired]. Our intention is to contribute to the creation of food and water sovereignty, healthy shelter and alternative energy on the reservation.

Food forests at Pine Ridge reservation are full of metaphor. The Lakota have experienced a long history of sabotage of their food supply. Pine Ridge has recently declared itself sovereign. There is a place in that for the seven generation food and water security that can be created by a food forest. Food forests can create calm amidst storm; they are resilient for generations.

There is a spirit to Pine Ridge that keeps us coming back for more. It’s hard to describe. People have tried. You have to read between the lines to see it, without going there yourself and experiencing it.