Cote First Nation officially opened a new berry farm Wednesday in hopes of strengthening food security, preserving cultural traditions and reconnecting future generations with the land. The farm also helps to promote food sovereignty. “Nobody really grows really anything anymore,” said Cory Cadotte, Cote First Nation’s cultural coordinator, in his speech. “We’re so dependent on grocery stores.” Wednesday’s event took place next to a bright yellow canola field, just off a dirt road on the First Nation. Pointing at the berry farm to his left, Cadotte said it was time his nation returned to their roots. “We didn’t need anybody [a] long time ago,” Cadotte said. Earlier on, a small dog named Honey entertained the audience who came to see the farm’s unveiling. It was jumping around elders and youngsters alike as if it too, was ready to start digging. By the treeline, a bottle of bug spray was exchanging hands in a meager attempt to keep the mosquitos at bay, before the focus soon turned to elder Larry Whitehawk, who welcomed everyone with a prayer. Among the speakers were Yorkton Tribal Council Chief Isabel O’Soup, Cote First Nation Chief George Cote, Kamsack Mayor Beth Dix and others. A few dozen people were standing in a semicircle, seeking shelter from the bright summer sun while others were sitting comfortably in their camping chairs, listening to the dignitaries. The first Saskatoon berry bush was planted by an elder. The second was planted by one of the community’s youngest members, symbolizing the passing of knowledge between generations. “We want to instill in the young people that we want to carry on these traditions of berry picking,” Chief George Cote said. “It’s very important that our young people know this.” Dignitaries then took turns planting bushes before community members joined in, filling the field with laughter, conversations and good spirits as they worked together. “This is a historic moment,” said Chief Cote, after he planted a Saskatoon berry bush as well. Berries have long played an important role in First Nations cultures, serving as food, medicine and part of ceremonial practices. “For First Nations people, ceremonies are about making sure everybody eats,” Cote said. “Nobody goes hungry when we’re praying and doing the things we need to do.” For Whitehawk, the berry farm brings back memories of childhood. As a boy growing up on Cote First Nation, he remembers walking with his mother to pick Saskatoon berries close to their home. Whitehawk’s mother passed away, leaving memories of berry pies and harvesting. “She taught us a lot,” Whitehawk told CTV News. “We’d watch her cook and make pies and everything like that. It was a good experience.” Those opportunities have largely disappeared in recent decades as wild berry patches have become harder to find, the elder added. “Now you can’t even do it. You can’t even get one berry,” Whitehawk said. “This is something for my children, my grandchildren and my great-grandchildren to experience.” He shared that he intends to pick berries with his family once the bushes mature. The First Nation hopes to eventually add raspberries and chokecherries to the farm while continuing to explore other food security initiatives. Cadotte, who helped spearhead the project, described the berry farm as the beginning of a broader vision. “We’re starting the process of becoming a food sovereign nation,” he said. “We’re bringing back some of our traditional foods and introducing them back into the community.” Cadotte said land clearing and agricultural development have reduced the availability of many traditional plants over the years. The berry farm is intended to help reverse that trend while providing berries for both ceremonial and everyday use. The cultural department will tend the berry bushes in the early years until they become established. “We’re going to nurture it until it’s strong enough to thrive on its own,” Cadotte said. “Then it will look after us.”
