FEB 29, 2020—Nearly 20 community members came out on a cool morning to get hands-on experience with the art and science of grafting fruit trees on the Bishop Paiute Reservation. Grafting is the process of uniting two genetically different plants to create one functioning plant.
Participants learned about the process of grafting fruit tree cuttings onto root stock (typically existing fruite trees) to create new growth that will result in delicious and nutritious fruit in the future. The workshop was taught by David Goto, the arborist at Manzanar National Historic Site.
This workshop was funded by the Native American Agriculture Fund as a hands-on training to enhance local native agricultural capacity and increase indigenous food sovereignty. The workshop was a collaboration between the Owens Valley Indian Water Commission, the Bishop Paiute Tribe Food Sovereignty Program, and the Manzanar National Historic Site.