Gardening in Alaska

Last year's gardening project energized the village due to the successful growing of 15 different vegetables. The 2007 trip was the first gardening trip. It was planned for only three weeks, not knowing if the plants would even grow or how receptive the Gwich'ins would be.


Ms. Heidi Rader, Agriculture & Horticulture Agent of the UAF Cooperative Extension for the Tanana Chief's Conference, has been helpful and expressed much interest in participating with and assisting us. She surveyed the villagers and received an overwhelming positive response to the gardening efforts of 2007. So, more gardens will be planted this summer. Mr. David van den Berg of the North Alaska Environmental Center also expressed an interest to help as their organization's aim is to protect and preserve Alaska's land and people, including withstanding the pressures of oil companies and their influences.