Climate Change and Food Security
March 2017
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| Salmon River Road in January. Photo by Aja Conrad. |
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Ayukîi, Aiy-ye-kwee', Waqlisi, Hello!
Weather has been much on our minds lately because there's been so much of it. The Food Security Project includes research on the barriers to accessing healthy, culturally appropriate food. Our gardens need water and sunshine, and our cultural terrestrial foods require cool, slow burns, but what about when the weather itself is a barrier? This year, after yet another summer of drought and catastrophic wildfires, our changing climate brought the Klamath Basin record rains, river flooding and unusually heavy snow. Icy roads, downed trees and landslides made it challenging for people to travel to work, school and to the store for food.
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First March weekend in Orleans. Photo by Kimathi Mucioki. |
Climate change is also affecting Tribal access to cultural foods - and the local economy. The past two years saw salmon at such record lows that the Yurok Tribe did not serve salmon at the annual Klamath Salmon Festival, a first - not to mention closing its commercial fishery. Right now, a local mussel quarantine is in effect due to a biotoxin that accumulates in warmer ocean temperatures, and is not usually present so early in the year.
In times like these, a pantry full of canned fruits, vegetables, fish, and meats, or baking your own bread is more than just fun and satisfying - these skills can be survival skills.
We hope you'll join us this month to build your Food Security skills. Got questions? Contact your Food Security Coordinator below!
Chris Peters, [email protected], 707-464-1852
Crescent City and Klamath, CA (Yurok Tribe)
Grant Gilkison,
[email protected], 530-627-3446 (
for Youth Camps, Community Gardens, Herbaria, Food Crews, Native Foods Workshops, Orchards, and Ishkêesh'túnviiv)
Orleans, Happy Camp, and Yreka, CA (Karuk Tribe)
Heather Campbell, [email protected], 530-627-3202
Orleans and Happy Camp, CA (Mid Klamath Watershed Council)
Lisa Hillman, [email protected], 530-627-3446 (for Pikyav Field Institute, K-12 Curriculum, and Sípnuuk Digital Archive)
Orleans, Happy Camp, and Yreka, CA (Karuk Tribe)
Perri McDaniel, [email protected], 541-882-1487 x 235
Chiloquin and Klamath Falls, OR (Klamath Tribes)
Got news? Tell Edith in the Berkeley office: [email protected], 510-643-9534.
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| Owens Valley Paiute visitors at the Herbaria. |
 Building Collaborative Networks: a visit with the Owens Valley and Mono Lake Paiute
In late February, members of the
Bishop,
Big Pine,
Lone Pine, and
Mono Lake Paiute Tribes traveled from the Owens Valley area to visit UC Berkeley, and met with the UC Berkeley Food Security team. The now-arid Owens Valley lies north and east of Los Angeles. The Owens River and the Valley's groundwater supply were decimated by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to enable the expansion of Los Angeles beginning in the early 20th century.
Read More
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This Month on the River
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| Junction School kids are not afraid of carrots (or beets)! Photo by Ramona Taylor. |
Karuk Tribe
We've rescheduled our Pruning and Propagation Workshops after they got snowed out last month. Please come out and learn something new from our Food Security Technicians! You are also invited to our continuing Food Security programs every Monday - Thursday in Orleans, CA and Happy Camp, CA. All programs weather dependent. Questions? ask Grant Gilkison, 530-627-3446.
Regular activities:
- Orchard Pruning (Mondays, Tuesdays, some Wednesdays)
- Herbarium Collection/Mounting (Thursdays, except 3/23)
- Basketry continues in Happy Camp (Sundays) and Orleans (Thursdays)
- Happy Camp Gardens (Wednesdays 3/22 and 3/29)
SPECIAL EVENTS - all are welcome!
Native Plant Propagation Workshop and Day Pay Memorial Garden Workday - Learn traditional Native plant uses, and how to make new plants from cuttings! 10am - 3pm, Friday 3/10, at KDNR in Orleans, CA. Lunch provided.
Sipnuuk Workshop - Learn to navigate the Tribe's Digital Library, Archives and Museum. 5 - 6:30 pm, 3/16 at Happy Camp Computer Center, and 5 - 6:30 pm, 3/28 at Orleans Computer Center.
Hide Tanning Workshop - Karuk regalia species and the tanning process. 10am - 3pm, Sat 3/18 at Ullathorne. More info: Ben Saxon, 530-627-3446, [email protected].
CLICK HERE for full Karuk Food Security schedule, locations and contact info.
Klamath Tribes
We dug out our frozen pipes in Chiloquin just in time for Seed to Supper!
Seed to Supper Classes - Our free 6 week classes give beginning gardeners the tools you need to start a garden and grow your own food on a budget! Thursdays in Chiloquin, OR, beginning March 2; Tuesdays in Klamath Falls, OR, beginning March 7.
To join in, call Perri McDaniel, [email protected] or 541-882-1487 x 235.
Attention, High School Students (and anyone looking for service or volunteer hours): we need YOUR help to rebuild our compost bins, get garden starts going, and build a community sweat lodge! Call or email Perri for more info.
Mid Klamath Watershed Council
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Learn to Build a Chicken Tractor - MKWC's 6-week Chicken Tractor Workshop series starts next Sat 3/11, 10am - 3pm. We'll meet every other Saturday March - May to complete this mobile coop using Wilson Forbes' amazing lightweight design. Along the way, Ross Cornwell will demonstrate welding - Tues 3/14, 3 - 5pm.
Tractor construction slots are full, but workshops are free and our teams need your help! Contact Mark Dupont, [email protected], 530-627-3202 to learn more or sign up!
Adopt-a-Tree - Learn to plant and care for your own heirloom fruit tree grafted by MKWC and the Karuk Tribe. For more information, contact Mark.
Afterschool Thursdays in the Garden - With snow melting fast, we're venturing out in Orleans, CA, with plenty of food-related fun! Send us your kids. For more, contact Heather Campbell, [email protected], 530-627-3202.
Yurok Tribe
Join us for Youth Food Security Workshops in Weitchpec in March. Open to all youth in Yurok ancestral territory. For more info or to sign up, contact Annelia Hillman, 530-625-4130 ext. 1619.
Youth Garden Workshop - Learn to build planter boxes and plant veggies and flowers for elders. Mon 3/20, 2 - 4 pm, Weitchpec Tribal Office, Weitchpec, CA.
Spring Willow Gathering - Youth age 11 and up, come on this field trip! Fri 3/24,10am - 2pm. Lunch provided. Please sign up ahead.
UCCE
Start your seeds out healthy!
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Seed starts at MKWC Seeds Workshop. Photo by Ramona Taylor. |
Growing your own transplants saves money and lets you pick cool varieties. "Damping off" is fungal rot of seedlings, and it is pretty common. Sanitation is the best prevention. If you reuse pots and flats to begin the season, sanitize those pots before planting and use a high quality potting mix. Using soil is not recommended. For more recommendations see the MKWC Foodsheds Seed Starts page, this full article on damping off, or disinfecting info here.
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Trees for pruning and planting at Margaret Keating School. Deborah Giraud photo. |
Community Events
Welbreity Conference - all Nations welcome. Klamath Falls, OR, March 24-25. More info
here.
Food Buying Club - forming now in Klamath Falls. More info
here.
AISES Conference - the American Indian and Engineering Society meets at Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA, March 30-31. More info
here.
Karuk Tribal Members, help us with a study on the availability and use of fire-dependent resources. More info
here.
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Steelhead for elders distribution. Chris Peters photo. |
FOOD SECURITY RESOURCES
Wondering what, where and when to plant? Visit the Mid Klamath Watershed Council
Foodsheds pages
for excellent free online info on the vegetables and fruits that grow best here, along with planting calendars, soil, and disease prevention advice.
Keep in touch with us! Find upcoming events, see photos, ask questions, let your neighbors know what's going on in the foodshed! All that and more on the
Foodshed Facebook page
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NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES
Missed an issue? See what your Food Security team has been doing
here.
The Karuk Tribe's new
Sípnuuk Digital Library supports food security and sovereignty with information on our regional food security issues, solutions and knowledge of traditional and contemporary foods and materials. Easy to use and open to all - sign up now!
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The goal of the collaborative Klamath River Basin Food Security Project is to rebuild a sustainable food system that supports healthy communities, ecosystems and economies among the Karuk, Klamath and Yurok Tribes.
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