From Land to Table: Youth Learn Traditional Harvest Practices that Feed the Community
Students from multiple schools across the Pine Ridge Reservation gathered at Makoce Agriculture Development for a hands-on traditional Buffalo harvest, blending cultural teaching, land-based learning, and community nourishment ahead of Thanksgiving. Guided by Oyáte Wóokiye and cultural educator Patti Harris-Baldes and her women-led crew, students learned the responsibilities, teachings, and leadership roles rooted in Buffalo stewardship. The experience offered both technical knowledge and cultural grounding. The Buffalo was donated by Tanka Fund rancher partner Ed Iron Cloud, and Tanka Fund coordinated the experience through its Buffalo to Schools initiative. Community leaders, including Jeanne Eagle Bull and Dawn Sherman, emphasized the deeper healing, intergenerational responsibility, and cultural reconnection embedded in the harvest. Meat from the Buffalo was shared among students, schools, and the wider community, reinforcing the teaching that when the Buffalo gives to the people, the people honor that gift by feeding one another.
Five Key Points
1. Land-Based Cultural Education
Students participated in a traditional Buffalo harvest that blended hands-on learning with cultural teachings, reconnecting them to food origins and culture.
2. Women-Led Stewardship
Cultural educator Patti Harris-Baldes and her women-led harvesting crew demonstrated the leadership roles women hold in Buffalo stewardship.
3. Community Collaboration
Oyáte Wóokiye, Tanka Fund, Makoce, USDA, and NDN Collective worked together to create a culturally grounded, educational experience for youth.
4. Honoring the Buffalo Through Sharing
Buffalo meat from the harvest was distributed to students, schools, and the community, reinforcing the teaching of giving back when the Buffalo provides.
5. Intergenerational Healing & Responsibility
Reflections from leaders like Jeanne Eagle Bull and Dawn Sherman highlighted how the harvest supports cultural healing, strengthens future generations, and honors relatives who came before.
Read longer story below.
Students from Wolf Creek School, Douglas County School District, Lakota Tech High School, and the OLCSD Virtual High School gathered at Makoce Agriculture Development on the Pine Ridge Reservation in or a hands-on traditional Buffalo harvest that blended cultural teaching, land-based learning, and community nourishment ahead of the Thanksgiving season.
At the start of the event, Nick Hernandez grounded the day in purpose, saying:
“We created this space for all of our community members here to enjoy, but also as a space that we can reconnect ourselves back to our food, our culture, and our lifeways.”
Led by Oyáte Wóokiye, the harvest introduced students to teachings rooted in culture, responsibility, and respect. Groups moved through each part of the process, learning not only how the Buffalo sustains communities, but why these teachings are essential for future generations.
Cultural educator Patti Harris-Baldes (Northern Arapaho / Big Pine Paiute) led instruction with her women-led harvesting crew, offering students a firsthand view of the leadership roles women hold in Buffalo stewardship. They were joined by TJ from USDA and Foster Cournoyer Hogan from NDN Collective, who supported the day with technical insight and cultural guidance that expanded the learning experience.
The Buffalo for the harvest was donated by Tanka Fund rancher partner Ed Iron Cloud, ensuring students could participate in an authentic, land-based educational opportunity. Tanka Fund supported the coordination as part of its Buffalo to Schools initiative, reconnecting youth to culturally grounded food systems.
As students observed and asked questions, they learned how the Buffalo ties together nourishment, tradition, and community well-being. Many expressed that this was the first time they had seen the origins of food beyond a store or cafeteria.
During the community gathering, Jeanne Eagle Bull, president of Oyáte Wóokiye, reflected on how the event aligns with deeper cultural healing and intergenerational responsibility:
“It is an honor to be here with you today. This journey began 23 years ago with the loss of my brother, who was a student here. We chose to honor him by building a skate park, and our competitions have become a way to reconnect our Lakota Nation. Today’s harvest continues that work — returning us to our traditional foodways and restoring balance in our community.”
The meaning of the day extended beyond the educational experience. Buffalo meat from the harvest was shared with students, the participating schools, and the broader community, offering healthy, culturally significant nourishment as families move into Thanksgiving. This act of giving reinforced a core teaching of the day: when the Buffalo gives to the people, the people honor the Buffalo by feeding one another.
Reflecting on the significance of the harvest, Tanka Fund Executive Director Dawn Sherman shared:
“Seeing our youth learn from the Buffalo and share that knowledge with their families reminds us why this work matters. When we bring culture, food, and community together, we strengthen the next generation and honor the Buffalo that continues to sustain us.”
Together, Oyáte Wóokiye, Tanka Fund, Makoce, and the participating schools created an experience that connected cultural teachings with real community impact. The harvest demonstrated how shared knowledge continues to shape and strengthen the next generation.
