Decolonizing Soil

An Indigenous Perspective on Gardening
Beginning with the Environment Beneath our Feet

A Power Point Program with Harvest McCampbell

~ Description ~

In 1491 the soils of North America’s vast prairies, woodlands, and forests were deep, rich environments teeming with nutrient building organisms. These soils had supported large populations of diverse plant, animal, and human life—for thousands of years. This life giving system was about to be plundered.

One of the seldom told stories of colonization is its affect on our soils, nutrient cycles, and the nutritional values of our food. Decolonizing Soil takes a gentle look at common thoughts about soil, the difference between scientific and indigenous values in regards to soil, and how our soils have been degraded through the colonization process. Next, healthy soil nutrient cycles are introduced as well as nature’s own tried and true soil healing processes. Finally, we learn how to encourage natural soil building cycles in yards, gardens, and open space.

This power point program is designed as an outline for group discussion. Participants are actively encouraged to contribute comments and questions using a model styled after traditional talking circles. Additionally, 24 - 8x10” display photographs depict garden diversity, beauty, and bounty using decolonized soil principals. Handouts include sources for more information, an overview of basic concepts, and 12 Steps to Decolonized Soil. Participants will leave with a better understanding of healthy soil environments, their importance to our lives, and information on protecting soil nutrient cycles in their yards, gardens, and other managed land.

Please allow two and a half hours for the presentation, plus set up and clean up time. (If a shorter presentation is needed, group discussion can be minimized. However, the more the group participates the more they are likely to learn and retain.) The program can be adapted to the hard and soft ware available at your site. (A portable power point projector can be brought to your site—however it is only effective in dark rooms.) Please advise on the available technology when inquiring about the presentation.

Presenter, Harvest McCampbell, (who has ancestors and relatives on both sides of the plunder divide) is the author of Food Security & Sustainability for the Times Ahead and former organic gardening columnist for the Hoopa Tribe’s newspaper, the Two Rivers Tribune. She shares first hand information from over thirty years of gardening experience as well as information from her reading and research. Writing samples and biographical information can be found on her web site: http://www.HarvestMcCampbell.com Contact Ms. McCampbell for more information or to schedule a presentation by e-mail: harvest95546@yahoo.com


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Decolonizing Soil An Indigenous Perspective on Gardening Beginning with the Environment Beneath our Feet A Power Point Program with Harvest McCampbell ~ Description ~ Comments ~
~ Description ~ In 1491 the soils of North America’s vast prairies, woodlands, and forests were deep, rich environments teeming with nutrient building organisms. These soils had supported large populations of diverse plant, animal, and human life—for thousands of years. This life giving system was about to be plundered. One of the seldom told stories of colonization is its affect on our soils, nutrient cycles, and the nutritional values of our food. Decolonizing Soil takes a gentle look at common thoughts about soil, the difference between scientific and indigenous values in regards to soil, and how our soils have been degraded through the colonization process. Next, healthy soil nutrient cycles are introduced as well as nature’s own tried and true soil healing processes. Finally, we learn how to encourage natural soil building cycles in yards, gardens, and open space. This power point program is designed as an outline for group discussion. Participants are actively encouraged to contribute comments and questions using a model styled after traditional talking circles. Additionally, 24 - 8x10” display photographs depict garden diversity, beauty, and bounty using decolonized soil principals. Handouts include sources for more information, an overview of basic concepts, and 12 Steps to Decolonized Soil. Participants will leave with a better understanding of healthy soil environments, their importance to our lives, and information on protecting soil nutrient cycles in their yards, gardens, and other managed land. Please allow two and a half hours for the presentation, plus set up and clean up time. (If a shorter presentation is needed, group discussion can be minimized. However, the more the group participates the more they are likely to learn and retain.) The program can be adapted to the hard and soft ware available at your site. (A portable power point projector can be brought to your site—however it is only effective in dark rooms.) Please advise on the available technology when inquiring about the presentation. Presenter, Harvest McCampbell, (who has ancestors and relatives on both sides of the plunder divide) is the author of Food Security & Sustainability for the Times Ahead and former organic gardening columnist for the Hoopa Tribe’s newspaper, the Two Rivers Tribune. She shares first hand information from over thirty years of gardening experience as well as information from her reading and research. Writing samples and biographical information can be found on her web site: http://www.HarvestMcCampbell.com Contact Ms. McCampbell for more information or to schedule a presentation by e-mail: harvest95546@yahoo.com
	Presented at Food Democracy's annual conference, 2009, see page 5: http://fooddemocracy.org/docs/BCFSN_Gathering09_FinalReport_small.pdf
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~ Comments from Viewers ~
"Decolonizing Soil -- It is a great PowerPoint and an intriguing discussion. The same conquest and domination experienced by Indigenous Peoples definitely applies to the skin of Mother Earth. Decolonizing Soil is a commendable undertaking." Chris Peters http://www.globalonenessproject.org/videos/chrispetersclip2 "Love this presentation. It takes us through history, the errors in thinking, to the here and now of correcting the problem. Learned how very adaptable the soil is, it’s wanting to thrive and host all those who live upon the planet. Thank you Harvest for bring out this intensely truthful work and bring us back to the basics of care for the land that feeds us." Laurie Horne http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=780842501 Being the host of the show “Make No Bones About It”, I had the opportunity to spend the evening sharing with my guest Harvest McCampbell. The show was a poignant, brilliant, encouraging, and informative. Harvest’s power point "Decolonizing Soil" is witness to her love, and commitment to our environment, Mother Earth and the First Peoples. The powerpoint Decolonizing Soil is one of many materials that Harvest provides for us. Her presentation makes possible for all to have sustainable home garden that are easily doable. She gives the power back to peoples hands. My experience with the interview was a very positive one, and I have gotten a number of emails from listeners that enjoyed the show. Harvest is an treasure! Brian M. Frisina (aka Raven Redbone) KAOS 89.3 FM Host-Producer - “Make No Bones About It.” "Harvest McCampbell never ceases to surprise this organic gardener of 45+ years. I hate to admit this, but I did not know what colonization (or decolonization) of soil meant when Harvest asked me to take a look at her presentation. (And of course, I did not tell her this until after I opened the file and had the experience of viewing her power-point presentation.) It is absolutely and honestly magical, as well as a completely painless way to understand the terms and the impact of this process. It’s important to know what is happening not only in the back yard garden, the pasture, the front yard, but globally. In all honesty I was expecting a laboriously long, scientific explanation about something we are doing to goof up our soil; and what bad people we are who inhabit the earth. Instead I was educated, uplifted and moved easily from one visual to the next, looking forward to each new page. Why was I surprised at her ability to tell such a great story through the use of visuals? She delighted us with words conveying stories passed down by her grandmother in her book: Food Security & Sustainability for the Times Ahead. She is again, passing along important and vital information, while making it enjoyable. This PowerPoint is a friendly guide suited to adults and children alike. It left me feeling 'up to date' and informed. Each and every one of us; as gardeners, yard owners, and soil caretakers can improve our understanding of the global impact of topsoil erosion and we can learn to turn that process around. Harvest's use of photography, historical and present day, much gleaned from her gardens and former residence in Hoopa, and her sense of beauty and the ability to capture it, helps to portray a complex process that happens to our soil, our earth, our keepsake, our lives. Harvest's presentation gets '4 muddy thumbs up' from this seasoned organic gardener who is proud to say she learned something new. I hope this project is carried along as far as possible. May the soil we all leave behind be better off for it, and thank you Harvest!" Terri Holtzclaw Reiser http://www.mooresvilleartistguild.com/MemberArtistOfTheMonth/TerriHoltzclawReiser.htm
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www.BioDiverseGardens.com

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Decolonizing Soil

~ Description ~

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~ Comments from Viewers ~

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