Mountain Shadow Association has been instrumental in fostering growth within the small community of Lodgegrass, located on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana. Over the past four years, Crown has partnered with the community to offer career counseling and Restoration Path training. Recently, Mountain Shadow invited Crown to lead a Foundations for Farming training, starting with a two-day composting workshop.

The workshop emphasized stewardship, drawing connections to the Biblical mandate to cultivate and care for the earth. Participants, including local science teachers and community members, engaged in learning about God’s creation, sustainable agricultural practices, and the importance of soil health. On the second day, the group worked together to build a compost pile using locally sourced materials, overcoming challenges such as the lack of nearby water by mobilizing community resources, including the mayor and a fire truck.

Crown looks forward to returning in the new year to see the compost ready and to begin establishing community gardens, continuing to work towards a shared vision of transformation in Lodgegrass.