The Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota is home to about 30,000 people; most are Oglala Lakota.

With 80 percent unemployment, the majority of residents live well below what is commonly known as the "poverty line."

The South Dakota County where Pine Ridge is located consistently ranks as the poorest per capita in the US.

Many rely on USDA surplus commodities that are typically high in fat, salt and sugar and exacerbate the high incidence of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease there.

In 1985 Plenty started working with some of the families living around the Slim Buttes area in the southwestern corner of Pine Ridge Reservation. We were assisting them in establishing home gardens so they could be eating organically grown fresh vegetables to help balance the high salt, high fat US government-issued surplus food commodities handed out to Indians on the Reservation.

In 1989 there were 11 gardens in the project. By the year 2000 this number had swelled to over 200, and at last count there were over 400! The phenomenal growth of the project is due in part to the tireless efforts of Plenty Board Member and Project Manager, Thomas Kanatakeniate Cook, and the irrepressible spirit of the Oglala Lakota people in the face of daunting obstacles.

This kitchen and dining room was constructed by Plenty volunteers at Slim Buttes. This new building has been much appreciated by the numerous volunteers who camp at Slim Buttes while taking part in projects on the Reservation. Plenty volunteers also built new fly proof latrines and solar showers for the volunteer camp.

Two beautiful timber frame greenhouses have been constructed for the gardens project with the able assistance of the Fox Maple School of Traditional Building.