Community Garden & Youth Garden Initiative

The Wassamasaw Community Garden serves as a cornerstone of the Tribe’s commitment to food sovereignty, environmental education, and intergenerational wellness. Situated on over six acres of tribally managed land, the garden includes:

• A 2-acre in-ground crop field surrounded by 8 foot deer fencing

• A 2-acre hay field supporting livestock

• Two high tunnels for extended seasonal growing

• Senior-raised beds, designed to reduce barriers and encourage elder and youth engagement

• The Healthy Harbors Initiative, which offers hands-on environmental education, water testing, and community outreach rooted in ecological responsibility to the Wassamassaw Swamp watershed, which the garden is adjacent to

In 2025–2026, the Tribe will begin construction of a new education and food distribution building through a $75,000 Berkeley County CDBG award. The building will feature a bathroom and kitchen and serve as a hub for nutrition education, food preservation, and produce distribution.

Additionally, the Tribe is developing a Youth Raised Bed Section and Outdoor Teaching Space. This expansion will engage young people in hands-on agriculture while promoting the transmission of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) from elders and culture-bearers—ensuring the Tribe’s environmental and cultural knowledge is preserved for generations to come.

Together, these elements form a vibrant, multi-use community space focused on health, sustainability, and Indigenous knowledge revitalization.

The Wassamasaw Tribe of Varnertown Indians was awarded a grant through the Indigenous Tomorrow’s Fund, administered by Native Americans in Philanthropy, to expand our community garden and deepen youth engagement in food sovereignty, cultural knowledge, and land-based learning.

This project focuses on creating a dedicated Youth Raised Beds Section and an Outdoor Teaching Area within the Tribe’s existing two-acre community garden. While the larger garden has been successful, the Tribe recognized that youth often benefit most from spaces that feel manageable, welcoming, and designed specifically with their input. By creating youth-centered garden beds, Tribal youth are able to develop a stronger sense of ownership, responsibility, and pride in caring for “their” section of the garden.

Through this program, Tribal youth participate in hands-on learning experiences that teach traditional and contemporary gardening skills, including planting, seed saving, soil health, and sustainable food practices rooted in Indigenous knowledge. Youth work alongside elders and community mentors, building confidence and practical skills while strengthening intergenerational connections.

The Outdoor Teaching Area will support workshops, storytelling, and cultural education in a natural setting. This space allows for lessons on Tribal history, food traditions, and environmental stewardship, reinforcing the connection between land, culture, and community well-being.

The Youth Garden Project strengthens food sovereignty, supports youth leadership development, and ensures that cultural knowledge and land-based practices are passed on to future generations through meaningful, experiential learning.

Program Kickoff
The Youth Garden Project officially launched with a kickoff meeting held on November 16, 2025, during the Community Meeting. This gathering introduced the project, outlined goals and expectations, and invited Tribal youth and families to take part in the upcoming garden sessions.

Class Dates
The Youth Garden Project is offered as a year-long series of sessions scheduled around seasonal growing cycles. The full series of class dates includes:

• December 13, 2025

• January 3, 2026

• February 8, 2026

• March 7, 2026

• March 21, 2026

• April 4, 2026

• April 18, 2026

• May 16, 2026

• June 6, 2026

• June 27, 2026

Dates and activities may adjust slightly due to weather or seasonal needs.

Youth Garden Project Enrollment
The program is open to Tribal youth ages 10–25, with elders and community mentors participating as teachers and guides. The project emphasizes intergenerational learning, responsibility, and skill-building through consistent engagement.

Learning Focus Areas
Youth Garden Project sessions focus on:

• Gardening basics, including planting, watering, and harvesting

• Soil health and seasonal crop planning

• Traditional foodways and Indigenous land practices

• Garden care, teamwork, and responsibility

• Learning from elders and experienced growers

  
  See below pictures from each of our sessions!!!