BIXBY – A packed charter bus of Intertribal citizens made a stop at the Euchee Butterfly Farm during a tour of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation on July 7. The stop was part of the 29th Annual CDC Tribal Advisory Committee (TAC) Meeting hosted at the Riverspirit Casino. TAC meetings provide information on CDC programs and address the needs of Tribal communities. Two meetings are held every fiscal year, and this meeting was hosted by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. During the tour, visitors from the group learned about the efforts the farm has made in housing pollinators, empowering Native farmers and conserving the environment. They also heard from College of the Muscogee Nation Extension Program Coordinator Chris Azbell and their efforts in community agriculture education.
Euchee Butterfly Farm Director Jane Breckinridge welcomed guests and introduced them to the world of pollinators and native plants. Visitors explored the farm’s walk-through butterfly aviary that houses native plants and over 1,000 live butterflies. The farm is also more than just a sanctuary for butterflies. It houses a seed bank containing over 270 plant species.
“We are the largest Native-led grassland restoration organization in North America,” Breckinridge said. “We work today with 85 different tribes to assist them with Native plant restoration on their lands. Whether they’re doing that because they are concerned about pollinators, Monarchs, cultural plants that are disappearing or medicine plants that are disappearing. They want better soil health, improved forage for bison and other animals.”
Another initiative Breckinridge discussed is the Food Initiative for Tribes (FIT). The initiative tackles issues regarding food deserts, food insecurity and limited access to fresh produce. These can all contribute to preventable disease that affect rural areas on tribal reservations. FIT educates Tribal citizens on how to grow produce, as well as prepare it once it is ready for harvest.
“We realized over the years that we were spending a lot of time showing people how to grow healthy foods for pollinators, healthy foods for butterflies, when they needed assistance learning how to grow healthy foods for themselves and their families.” Breckinridge said.
Chris Azbell was brought in to discuss his work in agriculture at CMN. Speaking at the event and educating others on native plants was just another day at the office for Azbell.
“I kind of have a dream job working for extension,” Azbell said. “I get to talk to people and do a lot of ag programming. I get to learn from people everyday.”
Azbell discussed collaborations the department is involved in, including the Youtube Series with Mvskoke Media, “Mvskoke Gardening.” He shared the season two episode “Yaupon Tea,” with the TAC. After the video, Azbell discussed the significance of yaupon holly to North America and Native people. Visitors in the group were given yaupon holly leaves as a gift after the presentation.
For those interested in registering for the Biannual CDC/ATSDR Tribal Advisory Committee Meeting, visit their website, https://www.cdc.gov/tribal-health/advisory/meeting-registration.html. There, registrants can find meeting resources, and the option to attend virtual or in person.
Tours of the Euchee Butterfly Farm can be booked on their website, nativebutterflies.org/tours.
