“Impacts of subsistence gardens in 5 Indigenous communities in the Upper Midwest: Earth and People” will take an in-depth look at pre-contact gardening practices of Indigenous people in this region, the effects on the land from their stewardship practices, explore how Indigenous peoples today are benefitting from reactivating their gardening culture and their relationship with earth, and examine how agriculture in the Upper Midwest has shifted through time and the different ecological effects because of this shift. The presentation will conclude with discussion of emerging concepts that could be used by parties interested in improving the health of Iowa’s ecosystems.

Derrick Kapayou is a member of the Meskwaki Nation, and currently a PhD student at Iowa State University studying sustainable agriculture and agrivoltaics. He is responsible for exploring different stakeholders’ perceptions of agrivoltaics and how different market participants view agrivoltaics as a profitable business model. Derrick received his MS in sustainable agriculture and MA in anthropology from Iowa State University in 2022 after successfully defending his thesis related to the study of Great Lakes region Indigenous cropping practices. Through his experience as a graduate student, Derrick has become an advocate for community gardens and growing food. Derrick has been the President of the Board of Directors for Meskwaki Hemp Supply for 3 years and has helped guide the company as it matures and specializes in the production of high potency CBD health products.

Derrick Kapayou