Growing A Healthier Today at Re-Member’s Feather II Gardens: “Ratatouille on the Reservation”
Home to less than 1,000 people, Porcupine, South Dakota will never be “on the map” to most. A bona fide town by reservation standards, its downtown is home to a Post Office, wacipi (powwow) grounds, a number of school and head-start buildings, a district service center, and a trading post. It’s not unusual to see locals walking on the side of the road with a grocery bag of simple provisions acquired from the shop.
The nearest full-service grocery store, located in the Pine Ridge community, is a nearly 50-mile round trip. Need fuel? That’s a 20 mile trip to Sharps Corner, with a more robust convenience store, that occasionally offers a little produce, in addition to shelf-stable and frozen goods. A trip to Walmart in Chadron, Nebraska or Rapid City, South Dakota is almost equidistant, at about 160-miles round trip.
Porcupine is a food desert, in the middle of a food desert: The Pine Ridge Reservation. It’s also home to Re-Member’s Feather II Gardens, where we’re growing a healthier today.
Garden Manager Devorah Mlotkowski — working alongside local residents who join our team as seasonal staff, and our volunteers — grow and harvest thousands of pounds of fresh produce just three miles outside of town. Devorah sets up shop at the Post Office, distributing produce to local residents — at no cost — from the back of her pumpkin-colored Jeep. She’s gotten to know the community, and is on a first-name basis with many of her regulars who stop by, with the question: “what you got today?”
Julie Two Eagle (left) and Re-Member garden manager Devorah Mlotkowski at the Porcupine Elder Meals building
Although most of her produce is gratefully received (peppers, squash, and tomatoes are the all-stars, she says), Devorah also likes to introduce the community to new tastes. It was the summer of 2023, and beets were on the offering. Few were interested, until Julie Two Eagle arrived. By Devorah’s recollection, she said: “I’ll take anything you have. I’ll take whatever everyone else doesn’t want. I know exactly what to do with those.”
Pickled beets.
A college-educated, enrolled tribal member, Julie fills the role of event planner, advocate, and cook. Employed by the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s social/nutrition program, she operates an unmarked, but essential building in Porcupine’s downtown: the OST social/nutrition elder meals center.
“I make do with what we have. Our elders are always asking for more food.”
Julie’s kitchen is a cobbled together, but efficient operation. Two home-style ranges. A commercial-grade refrigerator. A chest freezer. A simple pantry, with institutional-variety staples and sundries. The dining room features a concrete floor with four-top tables scattered throughout. The building is impeccably clean and organized, but sparsely decorated. Tablecloths add a meaningful pop of color and elevate the experience of dining in-house. And many do just that. By her count, Julie was feeding more than 100 people a day in the fall of 2024. She serves those who come by and stay for a meal, while also accommodating meals to go, and coordinates deliveries to a number of shut-ins.
““I know my elders. Most of them are on a fixed income. Many sell their benefits to pay bills, or to take care of their families.”
“When you don’t have much to work with, it can be tough,” said Julie as she walked through her kitchen on a beautiful fall afternoon. “I’m grateful to partner with anyone and everyone who has extra resources. Every bit helps.”
As Re-Member’s 2024 harvest got underway, Devorah knew who was getting her first eggplants, last year’s ‘new and different’ item. “I made up a bag with some of everything we had: herbs, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and eggplants, and I went straight to Julie with a recipe card.”
It was time to introduce ratatouille to the reservation. A French Provençal dish of stewed vegetables would be rarely found in a Rapid City restaurant, but it was going to be the featured lunch in Porcupine. “I’m putting it on the menu tomorrow,” Julie said.
The next day, 96 meals were served. And by all accounts, it won’t be the last time it’s offered.
Devorah is already thinking about what she’ll be dropping off later this summer.
—————
In next week’s feature, read more about how we plan to take opportunities like this on the road, bringing produce to the people, across the entirety of the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Offer your support of Re-Member’s Feather II Gardens with your Growing Tuesday gift today.