Contact Person: Diane Wilson                        
Address: 16085 Jeffrey Avenue
City, State, Zip: Hugo, MN 55038

Phone: (651) 439-3840                        
Email Address: diane@dreamofwildhealth.org    Website: www.petawakantipi.org   

Best way to contact you: e-mail

Current Operation

Dream of Wild Health is a 10-acre, organic farm located in Hugo, MN. We grow out indigenous seeds—primarily corn, beans, and squash--that were donated by tribes from around the region, some of which are hundreds of years old. We also grow a market garden with a wide variety of vegetables that are sold at a farmers market in the Twin Cities at a location close to the Native community. Our farmer is a graduate of the U of M with experience working at CSAs in the area. In 2008, she introduced raised beds into our gardens and more than doubled our production. We are in the process of developing a three-year permaculture design plan for the farm.

Internship Description
Interns can be involved in the planting, growing, and harvesting of produce; documenting the growth cycles of the indigenous plants; preparation work for permaculture design; assisting with farmers markets. Interns can also assist with Native youth programs, which run two months in the summer and teach urban kids about plants, healthy lifestyles, and culture. We welcome a wide range of interests and skills, including marketing, business planning, and publicity.

Intern Skills/Experience
Background in horticulture related field; basic experience in garden/farm work; open mind and heart to working with other cultures; an interest in learning about American Indian agriculture and culture.

Internship Timeline
Because we are unable at this time to offer a stipend, we are very flexible in the hours that interns are able to commit.

Internship Stipends/Benefits
We are unable to offer stipends at this time but interns will be well fed and provided with fresh produce for personal use. We encourage interns to look for funding support through their school programs and/or work study.

Family Information
Dream of Wild Health is a program of Peta Wakan Tipi, a St. Paul-based non-profit that provides transitional housing to American Indian people in recovery. Dream of Wild Health was founded to provide access to traditional foods and medicines. Native and non-Native people are welcome at the farm; our work provides a bridge between cultures.

Additional Information
Dream of Wild Health provides a wonderful, enriching experience for people interested in learning about other cultures, as well as participating in permaculture design and planning for an organic farm. Our plans in the next three years include raising chickens, adding an orchard of indigenous fruit trees and shrubs, keeping bees, and eventually restoring a portion of the land to prairie.