Energize Up!

Yellowstone Valley, between Rosebud and Forsyth

Perhaps one of the most common complaints I hear in Forsyth is, “People think that Montana ends at Billings!” This is a valid grievance, and a challenge that eastern Montanans contend with every day. It is easy to forget that the state goes east for another 250 miles. Montana has a population of less than a million, and the vast majority of those people live on the western side of the state. Eastern Montana lies largely untouched, largely lacking the exciting outdoors experiences and urban hubs that draw tourists and the fertile soil to make agriculture truly practical. Residents get by using the scrubby prairie to raise cattle, growing government-subsidized crops such as corn and wheat, and various mining ventures. But even this experience is becoming more and more difficult as local economies suffer and the communities stagnate. The towns of Rosebud and Hysham are both shrinking as the population ages and the younger generation moves away seeking jobs. The lack of a grocery store in both towns makes these communities a difficult and undesirable place to live. The poverty level is high- well over 50% of students in both these schools qualify for free or reduced price lunches, which is why these communities have been deemed high enough risk to receive a Foodcorps volunteer.

Before I arrived in Montana, I thought my job would be fairly simple- organize residents into starting a community or school garden, find the supplies necessary to deal with the harsh seasons and connect local farmers with the school. I assumed that promoting local food and good nutrition were uncontroversial topics. I knew eastern Montana was a forgotten land, but I figured that at least residents would be on-board to make changes. How can the suggestion of a school garden not be greeted with joy?

My two months in eastern Montana have made me reevaluate every assumption I have ever made about food, revise my vocabulary and radically change my goals. Of course people care about nutrition, and want their children to eat healthier. But all odds are stacked against making changes to the food system, and the people know it. The lack of processing facilities on this half of the state necessitates food being shipped great distances. The growing season is short enough and the soil thin enough to discourage mass production of anything but commodity crops. The sparse population and lack of access discourages the development of a widespread culinary tradition, and creates a difficult landscape for fine-dining establishments. Food isn’t a big deal here.

These challenges were illustrated in the response to my suggestion of creating a school garden, which was both embraced and scoffed at. I have been told that a garden can be a great academic opportunity, and that I can’t expect to force this idea upon a community that is functioning just fine on its own, thank you very much. (Note that the argument wasn’t even about food, although that is the whole motivation for the project.) I realized that, like any revolution, a food movement requires energy and that is something that this town simply doesn’t have yet. Farmers are just trying to survive year to year, and can’t be concerned with the extra effort of producing local, organic or sustainably grown crops. My hope is that a school garden can introduce the fun and deliciousness of eating local. If I intend to change how people think about food, I have to start from scratch. Although at times it is frustrating when I think of the local food opportunities I could be enjoying in Missoula or Portland, I realize that this is the real America. There are no lentil burgers, and it’s next to impossible to get my hands on grass-finished beef. Vegetarians are not common, while two or more sodas a day is normal. There are no Odwalla or Izze juices here. Food is something to be finished to move on to more important things. Unfortunately, it can also lead to obesity, diabetes and other diet-related problems.

How does one change the way a community thinks about food, when they have never experienced anything else? I have no idea, but I hope that by starting small in the garden, enthusiasm will spread and build. This past week nine 7^th graders planted 36 tomato seeds in the greenhouse, whose fruit will be used in school lunches and to show students how fun growing their own food can be. Tomorrow I will be planting more tomatoes with the 8^th graders. The energy builds, ever so slowly.