Healing soil and historical wrongs through indigenous farming

TRAVERSE CITY — A presentation on indigenous farming techniques brought a packed audience to The Botanical Gardens at Historic Barns Park.

Staff there have been able to cultivate plants that have not been harvested in more than a century. They gave 9 and 10 News more details on how they are healing the soil, and some historical wrongs.

When Anishinaabe activist Tara John started working on the grounds of the former state hospital, she found out members of her own team had a deep connection to the site

“A mentor with me...her grandmother was in asylum over here because they had diagnosed her as psychotic,” John said. “At that point, because she said that she talked to the plants.”

But now, staff at the botanic gardens on the property, like executive director Matthew Ross, are listening