Vegetables from CMN campus garden and local Amish farm.
Vegetables from local farmer, Armando.
CMN’s Campus Garden
A half-acre plot at the College of Menominee Nation in Keshena was first cultivated in 2015. Our local values in working this land were at the forefront and included the following: 1.) no chemical fertilizers were to be used; 2.) no chemical pesticides were to be used; 3.) organic and sustainable growing methods were practiced; 4.) seeds grown were to be heirloom; and 5.) seeds grown were to be saved for future growing seasons. This area of land is used to produce food and to practice traditional Menominee growing methods. This plot of land looks different every year, as every growing season new lessons were learned. While it is our goal to grow Indigenous foods, we are mindful of foods the Menominee community wants to eat. Crops include squash, green beans, beans, corn, radishes, carrots, and tomatoes. We either donate the produce to the Menominee Food Distribution Center and the College of Menominee Nation — accessible to students and staff — or we sell it at the Kehtekaewak Farmers Market. In October of 2018, th e College’s Department of Continuing Education (DoCE) built a greenhouse on the half-acre garden plot. The greenhouse was designed to extend the growing season and to propagate starter plants for this garden and our annual plant giveaway. Survey results indicate that community members are saving money on their grocery bills because of free starter plants and seeds.
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