Members of the Meskwaki Nation near Tama have established a community-based farm operation.
The Red Earth Gardens spans 40 acres and boasts a wide variety of crops. In the short two seasons they've been in operation, they've managed to grow numerous varieties of fruits and vegetables. The tribe's extensive planning process includes a transition from row crop to certified organic by sometime next year.
Tribal members grow produce for the settlement but they also sell it to the nearby casino, at a roadside stand and at area farmer's markets.