COLLINS, N.Y. (WKBW) — Encouraging healthier lifestyles while reconnecting to practices of the past. That is the mission of Gakwi:yo:h Farms located in the Town of Collins.
Gakwi:yo:h Farms is laid out on 62 beautiful acres of land in Southern Erie County and is a "field to table" initiative of the Seneca Nation Agriculture Department. Gakwi:yo:h means "good food" and the farm is focused on addressing food security and food sovereignty within the Seneca Nation community.
"We as Iroquois people used to be farmers a long time a go," says Gerry Fisher, Acting Director of Gakwi:yo:h Farms, "agricultural was our way of life. I wanted to bring that back."
So Gakwi:yo:h Farms works to encourage the community to embrace healthier eating habits by teaching traditional practices of gardening and agriculture. Fisher joined the program six years ago as a way to pass on her love of growing her own food.
"I had a smaller garden. I had planter boxes and everything was in pots. I wanted a bigger garden. Here it is," Fisher said with a smile, "but it's not just for me. I mean, like I said, It's for my community, my people."
Gakwi:yo:h Farms focuses on many of the foods that once grew on this land naturally. So that means nut trees, acres of berries, and what the Senecas hold dear as "The Three Sisters" in corn, beans and squash.
"Everything that was here before we even came here, before we were even born, when our ancestors lived here a long time ago," says Fisher, "The whole idea is not to waste anything"
The mission is personal for Fisher. She was born and raised on Seneca Nation Territory and has a degree in culinary arts.
"I'm not going to solve everything, but I can make people aware of it. The biggest thing was diabetes within our people."
The farm also has chickens for eggs, bees for honey, and down the road in Allegany a growing population of Eastern Bison.
"We brought the bison in for more people to eat more of a leaner meat. The meat they're getting now is all full of hormones and they all have additives and preservatives that aren't good for our bodies," said Fisher.
Gakwi:yo:h Farms sells much of the food that is grown on that land at a farmers market that is located on site. The farm is also working on building a processing kitchen that will allow for food preservation. The farm also holds youth programming to teach younger generations the value of traditional foods.
It's an initiative that Fisher hopes only grows in the years to come.
"I don't want to lose it," Fisher said with tears in her eyes, "It's important to me, important to the younger generation that is coming up."
Gakwi:yo:h Farms is always looking for volunteers to help out the staff of 12 which is currently working the land. If you would like to volunteer or learn more about the farm you can call (716) 532-3194.
