Land Grant Office Extension

4-H

LGO works in association with the national 4-H organization, whose mission is; “... build a world in which youth and adults learn, grow and work together as catalysts for positive change.” to promote the Head, Heart, Hands and Health lore, in many aspects of community and volunteer work.

In its first year, Extension Agent Felix Nez has begun working with getting local schools involved with 4-H's Shooting Sports world of activities by introducing Archery. He began with Rock Point Community school and has learned that the interest in joining their school team has grown. We will also begin archery competitions for local members and get them involved with the state and national competitions.

Felix has also been able to interest schools in bringing information about hoophouse and greenhouse construction in order to integrate a sustainable and healthy lifestyle.

Felix has also been getting participants involved with GIS/GPS technology. We sponsor a summer camp with University of Arizona extension program that get the students to use a GPS unit and play a geocaching game.

AGRIBUSINESS

Within the past few years, the Land Grant Office has emphasized land and livestock management. One major stepping stone to developing the communities of the Navajo Nation is integrating affordable and sustainable, hoophouse and cold-frame greenhouses. Understanding and practicing the benefits of greenhouses can be a positive asset to vegetable production.

Being that the Navajo Nation has a culturally agrarian background in which they produce a high percentage of their rations from the vegetables they grew on the land they owned personally or as a familial group, the mission we want to instill for the future of the nation is that the practices are not extinct and they are emerging as the foundation on which to bebuild. Routing the mentality to traditional farming lifestyles can benefit the Navajo. They can become financially sustainable and strengthen health and diet practices. Families can produce, market, and sell their products as a means of income as well while being apart of healthy living.

We also stress the importance of land management as a means of producing quality vegetables and livestock. We encourage producers to partner in the movement in establishing the Navajo Premise Identification system in which all producers can manage their land in a positive way. The producers can record the inventory of the plants on their land as well as estimate the total production based on their livestocks intake.This system can help in reducing or even preventing negative outbreaks of harmful diseases by pin-pointing the animals centralized grazing area and investigating where the agent emerged from. It is also recommended that rotating livestock throughout the plot can better restock their fields growth.

TEXTILES

The Textile project assists community members, weavers, wool producers, and sheep producers to improve their production and value, to enhance the quality of their product, and help them with economic development and the marketing of their products.

Sheep and goats are an abundant source of income for local rural communities. Our Textiles Agribusiness program helps the community to develop the skills needed to operate and improve the production of meat and wool, as well as increase the awarenss in the best breeding practices. We encourage all livestock producers to enable themselves to understand and acknowledge the latest practices that have been researched and proven.

Some objectives include, conducting market research, development of a business plan, and preparation of a five year income and expense projection. It is important for producers to understand and know the costs incured during the development of their product and then compare their market prices to those of retailers and other producers. They will be able to establish a niche market in which they can produce more distinct products that revolve around natural production methods and materials.

The project also promotes youth involvement by encouraging them to create their own products. The importance of such a program will enhance youth acknowledgement and understanding of rug weaving and its place in Navajo Culture and Heritage. They will also be able to catch a glimpse of self-sustaining marketing and business practices. The project can offer a certification to the weavers who have completed several workshops which will include the following:

     • Shearing the sheep
     • Washing the raw wool and skirting the wool
     • Carding the wool and spinning the wool
     • Identifying, picking plant to dye the wool and dyeing the raw wool
     • Setting up the warp and making the edge cord
     • Begin weaving and starting a pattern
     • End of weaving
     • Marketing the product

Certified individuals are encouraged to extend this knowledge out to the community by giving presentations to local institutions and showcasing weaving and its function in Navajo culture.

Creating a sustainable market for niche products is a viable income source for these producers and this can also stabilize.an economic market for the Navajo Nation as a whole.

1 CIRCLE DRIVE PO BOX 7B TSAILE, AZ 86556 PHONE: (928) 724-6941 FAX: (928) 724-6949