Sweet Pea Creations - Food Connectivity

Natural Fit for a Modern Lifestyle

Many residents on the Hopi Reservation are living below the poverty line (14% higher than the national average) and have little access to transportation, job opportunities and/or food choices. The Hopi calendar has two seasons with different ceremonies that occur monthly in celebration of life and the growth of crops.

Hopi culture teaches people that a home always has farm or fresh food to feed people. Today, tables are laid with food dishes made from canned goods like pies, beans or tomatoes and filled with heavy starches like potatoes, breads and pastas. Some homes are still without electricity and water which can hinder residents from enjoying fresh foods or limiting food choices.

We propose adapting a roadshow kitchen to strengthen our Hopi knowledge of food sovereignty. The roadshow kitchen is a platform to focus activities on a single lifestyle factor, cooking. It may be easier to enforce positive messaging when the focus is about practical solutions for low-income residents.

The Food Research & Action Center has reported that low-income communities frequently lack full-service grocery stores and farmers’ markets, which provide high quality foods. Additionally, households with limited resources to buy food often try to stretch their food budgets by purchasing cheap, energy-dense foods. For instance, my thought process when purchasing food is to decide how to maximize my family’s calories per dollar with cooking as an afterthought.

Cooking with food is more than following a recipe. Cooking is about the ways heat changes the food. Cooking also expands your intake of healthy foods. Through our project, residents can discover cooking alternatives from hands-on teachings. Residents will be exposed to food choices, which allows freedom to support farmers/gardeners and change their views about food.

Changing the view from food consumption to food sovereignty in a mobile kitchen will be the biggest barrier. Our project will challenge many residents with the idea of sharing Hopi knowledge and selling Hopi produce in a semi-public environment. However, I strongly believe our project of a roadshow kitchen will change residents at a personal level, one person at a time.

In our project we will use Hopi farmers/gardeners produce (low technology of agriculture) and Hopi food knowledge (traditional value) with cooking in a roadshow (adapted technology). This project will use equipment that is versatile and functional for easy set up and transportation.

Application of the roadshow kitchen will require an exchange of knowledge and techniques with kitchen appliances found in Hopi homes. Participation from individuals who are knowledgeable in Hopi foods and cooking skills (low to high level) will work in partnership with Hopi farmers/gardeners to concoct a dish after harvesting the produce.

Dialog with residents gave an awareness of limited food choices and little knowledge of food sovereignty. Participation in health events recited federal guidelines of food consumption. In hindsight, I wanted to find a different and better way to change people’s view about food.

Our project is an attempt to develop and offer information to clarify food sovereignty from a multi-sector and Native American perspective. The roadshow kitchen supports a neutral crowdsourcing enabling both knowledge sharing and cooking skills and the farm/garden partners offers a range of produce foods, including food choices, which can help residents explore consumption on their own.

The ease of mobility makes our project accessible for residents at any location. Targeting certain locations within the Hopi Reservation can eliminate travel costs and time for residents, who can spend their funds on other items of concern. Our project can connect residents to resources and information to empower them with the skills they need to make healthful and informed choices.

The affordability to our project exists in residents improved knowledge and skills through the cooking demonstrations based on locally available and affordable foods. Equally, building partnerships and networking may encourage other residents to share their knowledge of food sovereignty.

In theory, our project will have residents leave with a smile, delicious food, valuable information. Since 2014, Sweet Pea Creations has participated in the Hopi Farmers Market and Exchange event as food vendors. The farmers market draws an average of 750 people on a monthly basis and held in the same location each year. In addition, the farmers market is centrally located between five Hopi communities (Keams Canyon, First Mesa, Second Mesa, Kykotsmovi and Hotevilla-Bacavi.) These communities are typically 10-25 miles between with an average population of 1,100 at each community.

Currently, we provide food products that are baked or fried as a healthier food choice. We refrain from deep frying foods because high temperatures cause starches to form. Research has linked starch compounds to a variety of diseases, including diabetes.

A future project will launch a podcast show to talk about food with Native people. Keeping the focus on food choices and food sovereignty. This podcast will have an experienced recorder and script writer as hosts. The discussion of food has a wide range of topics. As a result, the topics will drive the stability and sustainability of the show.

When exploring our project idea, I discovered there is a whole Native American movement in the service industry from food sovereignty to food summits with culinary chefs and a culinary mentor program.

Likewise, participating in Hopi Tutskwa Permaculture's Seeds Workshops has provided me with connections to potential partners or research organizations that can advance my business ideas.

This level of support has encouraged me to be persistent, optimistic and has raised my confidence level. Today, I truly believe that my skills and abilities are rooted in my culture and my personal commitment to uplift my community can materialize.

Sweet Pea Creations is applying for MIS Solve grant funds to address a subjective thought about eating healthy for people on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Another reason to request for MIS Solve grant funds will be to support other organizations or entrepreneurs on the Hopi Reservation.

This idea combined with fund requirements will offer an unconventional method for personal growth among Hopi people. I have witnessed the changes in Hopi culture and what we eat at our tables. As an entrepreneur in the food industry, I wanted to help people understand the importance of ‘we are what we eat.’ 

We currently participate in workshops hosted by the Hopi Tutskwa Permaculture. Specifically, the Hopi Farmers Market and Exchange event and the Seed Sovereignty sessions. On the one hand, the market enables us to sell our healthy products and take orders for baked goods or catering services. On the other hand, the sessions provide us with potential partners and research material that can support our business.

For research and network purposes, we want to work with Seed Sovereignty-Food Sovereignty and Sierra Sees-Indigenous Seed Sovereignty.

For business partnerships, we want to work with Native American Food Sovereignty Alliance and Slow Food-Turtle Island.

For business development, we want to work with First Nations Development Institute and Native American Business Incubator Network.