{"id":140,"date":"2025-12-15T14:23:33","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T14:23:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/?page_id=140"},"modified":"2026-01-16T21:03:27","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T21:03:27","slug":"giving-back-to-the-community","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/giving-back-to-the-community\/","title":{"rendered":"Giving Back to the Community"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">In a cor\u00adner of the Mashan\u00adtuck\u00adet Pequot reser\u00adva\u00adtion, four trib\u00adal mem\u00adbers work to grow pro\u00adduce for the local trib\u00adal com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty to com\u00adbat food inse\u00adcu\u00adri\u00adty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mee\u00adchoo\u00f4k Farm is oper\u00adat\u00aded by Michael Mar\u00adtins, cul\u00adtur\u00adal super\u00advi\u00adsor; Bryan Hold\u00ader, hydro\u00adpon\u00adics spe\u00adcial\u00adist; Shi Spears, a labor\u00ader, and Ema\u00adneul Duran, a labor\u00ader. They work the farm year round to grow let\u00adtuce, kale, pota\u00adtoes, onions, egg\u00adplant, car\u00adrots, squash, rain\u00adbow chard, cucum\u00adbers and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The project began in col\u00adlab\u00ado\u00adra\u00adtion with UConn Exten\u00adsion \u2014 the statewide edu\u00adca\u00adtion\u00adal out\u00adreach arm of the Uni\u00adver\u00adsi\u00adty of Con\u00adnecti\u00adcut \u2014&nbsp; with the goal of achiev\u00ading food sov\u00ader\u00adeign\u00adty for the tribe. The over\u00adar\u00adch\u00ading mis\u00adsion is to ensure the tribe has \u201cfresh pro\u00adduce year round,\u201d accord\u00ading to Mar\u00adtins.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Click on images to enlarge. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;69eec7b4c4bd6&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"69eec7b4c4bd6\" class=\"wp-block-image alignwide is-style-rectangular wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-attachment-id=\"99\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/sample-page\/img_0906\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0906-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS Rebel T6i&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1762768313&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;24&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.016666666666667&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Farm workers\" data-image-description data-image-caption=\"<p>Pictured from left to right, Shi Spears, Emaneul Duran, Michael Martins and Bryan Holder stand in front of the walls of lettuce of the freight farms on Nov. 10, 2025  at Meechoo\u00f4k Farms.  <\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0906-1024x683.jpg\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0906-1024x683.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-99\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0906-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0906-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0906-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0906-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0906-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0906-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0906-1860x1240.jpg 1860w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\">\n\t\t\t<svg width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Pic\u00adtured from left to right, Shi Spears, Ema\u00adneul Duran, Michael Mar\u00adtins and Bryan Hold\u00ader stand in front of the walls of let\u00adtuce of the freight farms on Nov. 10, 2025 at Mee\u00adchoo\u00f4k Farms.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mee\u00adchoo\u00f4k Farm uses out\u00addoor irri\u00adga\u00adtion, indoor freight farms and green\u00adhous\u00ades to grow pro\u00adduce. As win\u00adter approach\u00ades, the crew is fin\u00adish\u00ading up clos\u00ading down the out\u00addoor farm\u00ading and is pri\u00ador\u00adi\u00adtiz\u00ading the indoor fright farms which are grow\u00ading let\u00adtuce, basil and pars\u00adley at the moment. Dur\u00ading the win\u00adter the farm pro\u00adduces maple syrup by tap\u00adping sev\u00ader\u00adal hun\u00addred trees in the area.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;69eec7b4c514f&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"69eec7b4c514f\" class=\"wp-block-image alignwide is-style-rectangular wp-lightbox-container\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0861-1024x683.jpg\" alt><button class=\"lightbox-trigger\" type=\"button\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-label=\"Enlarge\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\" data-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\">\n\t\t\t<svg width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Michael Mar\u00adtins walks along one of the hydro\u00adpon\u00adic green\u00adhous\u00ades that is grow\u00ading let\u00adtuce under LED lights on Nov. 10, 2025 at Mee\u00adchoo\u00f4k Farms.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once the crops are har\u00advest\u00aded they often will hold events where trib\u00adal mem\u00adbers can come and get some fresh pro\u00adduce. The crew said it is very reward\u00ading to help their local com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty. Mar\u00adtins, Hold\u00ader, Spears and Duran are all part of the Mashan\u00adtuck\u00adet Pequo tribe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt is very reward\u00ading to see the trib\u00adal mem\u00adbers come and get their food back,\u201d Mar\u00adtins said. \u201cThe corn that we grew this year was, oh my God, phe\u00adnom\u00ade\u00adnal. Then the trib\u00adal mem\u00adbers were real\u00adly excit\u00aded about it too. It\u2019s very reward\u00ading,\u201d Mar\u00adtins said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mee\u00adchoo\u00f4k Farm sells pro\u00adduce to local restau\u00adrants as well.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-attachment-id=\"98\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/sample-page\/img_0841\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0841-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"2560,1707\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS Rebel T6i&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1762766028&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;18&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Basil\" data-image-description data-image-caption=\"<p>Michael Martins shows how the basil is watered in the hydroponic greenhouses on Nov. 10, 2025 at Meechoo\u00f4k Farms.  <\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0841-1024x683.jpg\" data-id=\"98\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0841-1024x683.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-98\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0841-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0841-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0841-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0841-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0841-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0841-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0841-1860x1240.jpg 1860w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"96\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/sample-page\/img_0875\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0875-scaled.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"1707,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS Rebel T6i&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1762767467&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;37&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;3200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0125&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"IMG_0875\" data-image-description data-image-caption=\"<p>Lettuce growing on the walls of the freight farms. The freight farms are climate-controlled units that grow plants like lettuce on the walls. The crew monitors these systems daily with Holder maintaining the systems levels. <\/p>\n<p>Shi explained that the lettuce typically takes 4-6 weeks to grow and then they will harvest an entire wall which takes around 3-3\/1\/2 hours.<\/p>\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0875-683x1024.jpg\" data-id=\"96\" src=\"http:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0875-683x1024.jpg\" alt class=\"wp-image-96\" srcset=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0875-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0875-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0875-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0875-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0875-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0875-1200x1800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0875-1860x2790.jpg 1860w, https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/files\/2025\/12\/IMG_0875-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\"><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><em>At left, Michael Mar\u00adtins showed how the basil is watered in the hydro\u00adpon\u00adic green\u00adhous\u00ades on Nov. 10, 2025 at Mee\u00adchoo\u00f4k Farms. At right, let\u00adtuce grows ver\u00adti\u00adcal\u00adly on the walls of the freight farms, which are cli\u00admate-con\u00adtrolled units. The crew mon\u00adi\u00adtors these sys\u00adtems dai\u00adly.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Shi explained that the let\u00adtuce typ\u00adi\u00adcal\u00adly takes 4\u20136 weeks to grow and then they will har\u00advest an entire wall which takes around 3\u20133\/1\/2 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Orga\u00adni\u00adza\u00adtions like the farm help rebuild inter\u00adcon\u00adnec\u00adtion and eco\u00adnom\u00adic sov\u00ader\u00adeign\u00adty with native com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adties, accord\u00ading to Pro\u00adfes\u00adsor Grande. By grow\u00ading their own food, the tribe can cre\u00adate healthy ways of liv\u00ading and build trust in the com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe more inter\u00adcon\u00adnec\u00adtion, and the stronger and health\u00adi\u00ader and wider our webs of con\u00adnec\u00adtion are, and in indige\u00adnous com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adties, the health\u00adi\u00ader and wealth\u00adi\u00ader you are. Projects like this help their eco\u00adnom\u00adic sov\u00ader\u00adeign\u00adty. The pur\u00adpose for that is for them to sup\u00adport the com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty,\u201d Grande said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-accent-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-669513ed wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>View next section <\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-03627597 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/land\/\">LAND<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/celebration-and-thanksgiving\/\">CELEBRATION AND THANKSGIVING<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/art-and-tradition\/\">ART AND TRADITION<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/preservation\/\">PRESERVATION<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/about\/\">ABOUT<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a cor\u00adner of the Mashan\u00adtuck\u00adet Pequot reser\u00adva\u00adtion, four trib\u00adal mem\u00adbers work to grow pro\u00adduce for the local trib\u00adal com\u00admu\u00adni\u00adty to com\u00adbat food inse\u00adcu\u00adri\u00adty. Mee\u00adchoo\u00f4k Farm is oper\u00adat\u00aded by Michael Mar\u00adtins, cul\u00adtur\u00adal super\u00advi\u00adsor; Bryan Hold\u00ader, hydro\u00adpon\u00adics spe\u00adcial\u00adist; Shi Spears, a labor\u00ader, and Ema\u00adneul Duran, a labor\u00ader. They work the farm year round to grow let\u00adtuce, [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":981,"featured_media":99,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-140","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/981"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=140"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/140\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":458,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/140\/revisions\/458"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitaljournalism.uconn.edu\/indigenous-culture-preservation\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}