Indigenous Community Garden at Virginia Tech

10/16/2026

Managed to harvest our kālo and ube last week at the ICG!!! Great successful tubers! So excited to process and propagate them for the future season!

10/12/2026

Celebrating IPD! But celebrating Indigenous Peoples and the Land everyday!

09/07/2026

🌺 NextGen Hawaiʻi Study Away | Cohort II 🌱

In early August, a second cohort of Native and Indigenous students from Virginia Tech, the University of Florida, Haskell Indian Nations University, and Oregon State University traveled to Hawaiʻi for the NextGen Hawaiʻi Study Away experience, centered on Indigenous knowledge, food sovereignty, and reciprocal relationships with ʻāina (land).

As part of their fieldwork, students participated in service-based activities guided by community needs and invitations, working alongside Kānaka-led nonprofit organizations and community partners to support food sovereignty initiatives and the revitalization of traditional food systems. Students also engaged in cultural protocols, reflection, and discussion throughout their field experiences, creating space to consider how Indigenous knowledge is practiced, shared, and carried forward through relationships with land and community.

This second cohort was made possible through the collaborative efforts of Moanikeʻala Nanod-Sitch, Hawaiʻi Area Director for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship; Virginia Tech’s Dr. Rick Rudd and Dr. Donna Westfall-Rudd; ALCE Ph.D. student Elizabeth (Liz) Sanders; and ALCE Ph.D. student Bryce Burrell.

The Hawaiʻi Study Away experience was supported through Tennessee State University’s USDA Next Generation Consortium for Building the Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Human Sciences Pipeline Project.

🌱 ʻĀina • ʻIke • Pilina • Reciprocity

09/01/2026

Welcome back, Hokies! 

We’re excited to announce our new volunteer hours for the Indigenous Community Garden (ICG)! 

Join us at the ICG:

Mondays: 4:00–6:00 PM

Sundays: 5:30–7:30 PM

Want to stay connected? Follow along for updates, upcoming events, and garden announcements by joining our GroupMe through the link in our bio! 

We’re so excited to see our community grow—both in the garden and together!

08/31/2026

Again with the harvest pics 😒

08/21/2026

Celebrating our ICG Summer Intern, Reed Yang!

We wanted to highlight the amazing work Reed did presenting the ongoing work of the Indigenous Community Garden at Virginia Tech at the Intertribal Agriculture Council Eastern Summit on Wednesday!

Reed shared the many ways the Garden supports regenerative agriculture, land-based education, and outreach with Tribal communities. They also presented their internship work on the Sustainable Green Corn Ceremony Restoration Project!

We are incredibly proud of Reed and grateful for the passion, dedication, and care they have brought to this work.

A special thank you to the Intertribal Agriculture Council for the opportunity to share this work!

08/15/2026

08/14/2026

We’re excited to highlight our sister Indigenous garden at Virginia State University—the Heritage Heirloom Garden!

Supported through collaborative efforts and funding partnerships with our Indigenous garden team at Virginia Tech and VSU Small Farm Outreach Program, this garden is part of the Youth Demonstration Farm at Randolph Farm, where local youth learn about seed saving, traditional agriculture, and the importance of caring for culturally significant crops.

Through hands-on experiences, local youth learn how to grow, harvest, process, dry, and save seeds. These seeds are then shared with local Tribal communities and Tribal citizens throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, helping strengthen Indigenous foodways and support the continuation of seed stewardship.

For more information about the Heritage Heirloom Garden, Youth Demonstration Farm, or Small Farm Outreach Program, contact Rachel Lawmaster at [email protected].

08/13/2026

See us at the IAC Eastern Regional Summit! We will be presenting our work and meeting with producers, partners, and community members!

Next week, we are excited to see you at the 2026 Eastern Regional Summit.

Marriott Downtown Richmond, Richmond, VA | August 18-19

Get registered at bit.ly/2026Eastern-Summit.

07/28/2026

Our Garden So Far!!! 🤩