Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and Yukon College to partner on Teaching and Working Farm

DAWSON CITY – Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and Yukon College will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Friday that paves the way for creating a teaching and working farm situated on the First Nation’s traditional territory. The signing ceremony will take place at Strachan’s Farm, located opposite the airport on the North Klondike Highway, 15 km outside of Dawson City.

Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in hopes the project will create a healthy, healing, safe and rewarding “on-the-land” environment for TH citizens, and secure a source of fresh produce and other food staples. It is also designed to preserve and maintain indigenous plants and shrubs important to First Nations healing traditions, and preserve a way of life that is based upon an economic and spiritual relationship with the land.

In addition to supporting Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in goals, Yukon College also hopes that the project can develop and research innovative approaches to year-round northern Yukon farming and experiment in unique Northern on the land recycling. The College will also explore the opportunities to support work experience for College students in the overall operational needs of the farm.

“Using our settlement land for the production of food has long been an objective of the First Nation,” said Chief Eddie Taylor. “A huge mähsi cho to everyone involved in making this dream a reality.”

“Yukon College welcomes this opportunity to strengthen our relationship with Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and enhance their capacity to provide learning and training possibilities for their citizens,” said Dr. Karen Barnes, Yukon College President. “A teaching and working farm in the Klondike region also provides an opportunity for our instructors and researchers to expand the research already undertaken in extending the growing season and reducing the cost of farming in the North.”

After the MOU signing ceremony Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in citizens and College staff will celebrate their new partnership with a lunch at Strachan’s Farm.  The partners will next create a steering committee to develop long term priorities and planning for the project, however Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in hopes to be planting initial crops next year.