Fort Belknap Reservation

The Fort Belknap Indian Reservation is home to the Aaniiih and the Nakoda Tribes. Fort Belknap Indian Reservation encompasses 675,147 acres, including the communities of Fort Belknap Agency, Hays, Lodge Pole, and Dodson. Fort Belknap has a tribal membership of 7,000 enrolled members. The main industry is agriculture, consisting of small cattle ranches, raising alfalfa hay for feed, and larger dryland farms. Each year, our priorities reflect the dynamic nature of the community’s needs. In 2023, efforts were directed at drought management strategies, the development of home-based food forests, and new directions in nutrition education. Additionally, faculty and staff provided leadership and resources to implement programs such as the 2024 Fort Belknap 4-H Fair, school-based nutrition education, and expanded collaborations with new partnerships. Within the framework of MSU Extension’s directives, we are working to bring trusted resources to families, businesses, ranchers, and communities, as we have seen the power of education, diversity and community. Our outreach and program efforts have largely developed into a hybridized model of virtual, in-person and one-on-one approaches. We have been able to return to in-person activities such as gardening, rancher/farmer consultation, and 4-H programs.

Tribal Leadership

As community vitality agents, Liz Werk and Hillary Maxwell are in the second year of developing a Tribal Leadership Training model by continuing to share insights with partners regarding native leadership issues and gathering feedback and direction from local leaders. Earlier in 2023 and based on the recent MSU-Extension needs assessment results, this leadership project was led by community vitality agents with guidance from 5 selected Fort Belknap adult and 5 youth community members and assisted in creating a space and a means of support that values that process. This training model is unique in that it is being developed to be implemented in tribal communities, with the flexibility of engaging neighboring non-tribal communities. We see this project also as supporting a long-term potential model of cross-cultural leadership, that may bridge the gap between previously unengaged/disconnected communities. As is often the case, a successful foundation leads to the next step in the development of this leadership model. Results from the adult and youth forums will be integrated into the tribal leadership training model. As a result of the trainings, the youth and adults completed a wide range of projects; In Hays, participants of Reimagining Rural created Ne'Wah's Garden in the center of town, which features native plants commonly used for medicine and food. As they built the garden, the grammas pass on knowledge of native plants to the next generation; A group of youth collaborated with adult leaders to build a shade at the skate park in Hays; Health and wellness was celebrated at the White Cow Canyon 5k/12k Run in the Little Rockies Mountains; A historic building in Lodge Pole was repaired for a coffee/sewing house; 4-H youth and adult leaders constructed pig pens in Dodson; Hays High School students interviewed and filmed local historical stories from community elders.

Caption: Neewah's Arbor

Credit: Liz Werk

Community Vitality

The Community Vitality agents have brought together tribal, county, and state small groups, to form one large group to work on food sovereignty, both vegetable and animal. This includes growing food, sharing resources, seed saving, chickens, plant exchanges, distribution and cultural food guest speakers. Food sovereignty is the right of people to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and agriculture systems. The coalition meets monthly at different locations throughout the reservation, with a goal of this group of improved utilization of resources to improve the local health of all tribal members. The agents partnered with Blaine County Extension agents to participate in the Community Heart and Soul project, with a focus on the community of Harlem MT. Community members attended four sessions and are currently continuing their efforts in determining their next steps toward revitalization efforts.

Caption: Seed saving efforts

Credit: Hillary Maxwell

SNAP-Ed

In Fiscal Year 2024, the SNAP-Ed educator, Ramona King, visited 3 elementary schools for a total of 14 youth class series, conducted 1 in-person adult class series and 3 one-time classes. A total of 256 participants were reached with the Nutrition and Physical Activity classes. Also, the educator participated in food sovereignty coalition meetings, as an effort toward impacting policy, systems and environment issues on the Fort Belknap Reservation. As with every year, we hope to see an increase in participation not only in our programming but in the communities overall.

4H Program

Fort Belknap 4-H continues to grow, as the Lucky Charms club’s 22 members continued to learn important 4-H and life skills. The top priority of 4-H programs at Fort Belknap is the health and safety of our youth, families, volunteers, faculty, staff and supporters throughout our communities. We continue to encourage our future 4- H leaders to increase resiliency and advance community support. Lucky Charm's leaders and new program manager focused on 4-H showmanship, animal health, 4-H leadership and fair preparation, and there were 19 members with animal projects. The Aaniiih Nakoda 4-H Show and Auction was held on August 9 at the Wasay Wakpa Rodeo Arena in Lodge Pole, MT presenting 9 steer and 10 swine projects. The steers averaged 1252 lbs. and sold at an average of $6.38/lbs. while the swine averaged 315.5lbs at $13.10/lbs. All the 4-H projects and fair were supplied, organized, and judged by community volunteers, parents, and families with the purchase support of local tribes, businesses, and families.

Caption: 2024 Aaniiih Nakoda 4-H Fair

Credit: Liz Werk

Agricultural Growth

Fort Belknap current and future producers gathered at the Fort Belknap Producer Summit meeting on July 17, 2024, in Lodge Pole. Approximately, 25 Fort Belknap producers gathered to learn and share agricultural resources. Many programs presented pertinent information: CREP Programs/Strategies, Agricultural Council partnership opportunities, Fort Belknap Agriculture Resource Management Plan, NRCs program updates, FSA updates, Audubon, World Wildlife Foundation Grazing Plan, and Tribal Land grazing programs. One-on-one consultations and virtual workshops occurred throughout the year, consisting of drought responses and resources, and application training and support for agriculture loans and assistance. Fort Belknap MSU Extension assisted youth producers and new producers with the Montana Department of Agriculture Rural Assistance Loans and Junior Agricultural Loans. Producers who continued to seek additional information related to their current needs were provided with unbiased information that aided in a solution.

Credit: Courtesy MSU Extension

Contact

656 Agency Main Street
Harlem, MT 59526
406-353-2656
https://www.montana.edu/extension/fortbelknap/