terra-community-alliance-foundation

What the Bison taught me in Wyoming

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 19:51:08 GMT

Bison can heal the soil and the soul

The trip started at the edge of the Great Salt Lake, where they harvest minerals straight
out of the water. I didn’t think too much about the harvesting at the time. I was just
soaking up the vastness of the Great Salt Lake, something I had never seen before. It
was only later, standing in a field in Wyoming, that the connection clicked. Those same
kinds of nutrient rich minerals are part of how the land gets brought back to life.
I went because my friend Aaron invited me. Aaron is, and I mean this with love, a seven
foot tall teddy bear with a heart big enough to carry a whole cause. That cause is
restoring Native lands, and he does the work through TC Alliance Foundation.

The Terra Community Alliance Foundation partners with Indigenous nations to heal degraded ground,
using those mineral rich amendments and regenerative practices to rebuild soil that can
actually grow food again. What I love about how they work is that they don’t show up
acting like they have all the answers. They blend ancestral wisdom with scientific
research, treating the Traditional Ecological Knowledge of the people as the expertise it
has always been. When Aaron asked if I wanted to come to the Native American Climate
Summit in Riverton, UT, I said yes before I really understood what I was saying yes to.
The summit hit harder than I expected. I came in thinking I’d learn about climate
change, and I did. Drought, dry land, wildfires, the slow squeeze of food shortages. However,
the thing that stayed with me is that for the Arapaho and Shoshone, none of those are
separate problems. They are all the same fight, and the name of that fight is sovereignty.
Food security is sovereignty. Healthy soil grows good grass, good grass feeds the herds
and the people, and water that isn’t being diverted somewhere else makes a whole
community thrive.

That word kept coming back. Water. One of the elders told me their word for it
translates to gift of life, the thing that ties everything above and below together. And it is
still being taken. On the drive out to the buffalo farm an elder pointed through the
window and said it plainly. Anything green to the right is theirs, the white man’s.
Anything that is sagebrush is ours. You could see generations of injustice from the
passenger seat. The Big Horn water rights case of 1977 is, in every way that matters, still
being fought right now.

Then there was the buffalo. Standing in front of the Shoshone herd, three hundred head
of them, listening to people talk about what these animals mean to them, I finally felt
the weight of it. The suffering the white man caused here is not history. It is present
tense. But so is the other thing I saw, this fierce and patient determination to come back
to the old ways, to build up tribal capacity, to raise the next generation of leaders and
leave them something worth inheriting.

What moved me most was simply being allowed to sit with the elders and learn.
Wyoming is vast and powerful, and the Arapaho and Shoshone are still there, standing
in their sovereignty and doing the slow work of healing what was taken from them.
I came home grateful. For Aaron, for the elders, for getting to watch TC Alliance help
bring these lands back. And I came home changed. Cultural practices matter. Land
matters. Water really is the gift of life. And the buffalo, it turns out, still have plenty to
teach anyone willing to stand quietly and listen.

Wozu

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 19:19:13 GMT

To Plant or Grow

At Wozu, which means “to plant” or “to grow,” we believe regenerative agriculture is more than a farming practice—it is a pathway to healing our land, restoring our relationship with buffalo, strengthening local food systems, and creating opportunities for future generations. Our work is grounded in advancing food sovereignty, buffalo restoration, renewable energy, cultural revitalization, and regenerative land stewardship throughout Indigenous communities.

We are excited to partner with TC Alliance and look forward to sharing knowledge, building meaningful partnerships, and advancing solutions that support healthy soils, healthy communities, and a sustainable future for Indigenous peoples.

— Dave Archambault II
Former Chairman, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Chief Executive Officer, Wozu

Wind River Regenerative Agriculture Initiative

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 19:12:21 GMT

Former Chairman of the Wind River Shoshone Tribe, focused on conservation and sustainable land management.

Clint Wagon , former Chairman of the Wind River Shoshone Tribe, received 24 tons of mineral amendments through a partnership with TC Alliance Foundation which supports regenerative agriculture efforts on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming.

Currently focused on conservation and sustainable land management, Clint operates a 65-acre ranch and has a vision to expand both his agricultural operation and the impact of regenerative practices throughout the reservation. His goals include developing specialty crops, improving soil health, increasing agricultural productivity, and repurposing additional land for sustainable farming and ranching opportunities.

Demonstrating his commitment to innovation, Clint has already designed and built a specialized piece of equipment to efficiently distribute the mineral amendments across his land. This equipment allows for more effective application of the minerals and serves as an example of locally developed solutions that can help accelerate regenerative agriculture initiatives throughout the region.

By combining traditional stewardship values with innovative agricultural practices, Clint hopes to create a model for sustainable land use that can benefit both current and future generations. His work has the potential to improve soil quality, increase crop diversity, support food sovereignty, and create new economic opportunities for tribal members on the Wind River Reservation.

As the project moves forward, Clint's efforts represent an important step toward restoring the productivity of reservation lands while demonstrating how regenerative agriculture can help heal both the land and the communities that depend upon it. His leadership continues to inspire a vision of self-sufficiency, conservation, and long-term prosperity for the Wind River Reservation.

TC Alliance Foundation Supports Producers on the Wind River Indian Reservation

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 18:34:35 GMT

Wind River Tribe begins regenerative agricultural journey

The Office of Agriculture and Natural Resources (OANR) recently received a donation of 48 tons of fossilized kelp meal from the TC Alliance Foundation to support agricultural producers on the Wind River Indian Reservation. The mineral amendment is being distributed to Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone producers to enhance soil health and improve crop productivity.

Since the delivery, an Eastern Shoshone producer has established a five-acre test plot on his farm, while a Northern Arapaho tribal member is utilizing the product in her garden. In addition, two Northern Arapaho producers have committed to implementing test plots on their agricultural fields to evaluate the benefits of the mineral amendment under local growing conditions.

Interest in the product has continued to increase since its arrival on the Reservation. As awareness spreads among producers, OANR anticipates additional distributions in the coming weeks. This collaboration between the TC Alliance Foundation and Tribal agricultural programs demonstrates how partnerships can provide valuable resources that improve soil health, strengthen local food production, and support the long-term sustainability of agriculture throughout the Wind River Indian Reservation.

By working together, the TC Alliance Foundation and the Office of Agriculture and Natural Resources are helping create opportunities for producers to test regenerative practices that can enhance productivity, increase resilience, and contribute to a stronger agricultural future for the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho communities.

Lower Brule Tribal Nation Expands Regenerative Mineral Application to Over 4,000 Acres

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 18:54:07 GMT

“Leverage the Past to Heal Our Future.”

Lower Brule, South Dakota — The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe continues to lead in regenerative agriculture efforts, marking a major milestone today as mineral applications expand to more than 4,000 acres of Tribal farmland.

Now in its second year, this initiative has grown significantly from its initial phase in 2025, when small test plots were applied across just a few acres. The success of those early trials laid the foundation for this year’s large-scale expansion—demonstrating both confidence in the results and commitment to long-term soil restoration.

Today’s work showcases the Tribe’s farm management team actively applying organic regenerative mineral inputs using their own farm equipment, reinforcing local ownership and operational leadership in the process. These mineral applications are designed to enhance soil biology, improve water retention, and support nutrient-dense crop production across Tribal lands.

This effort has been guided through ongoing collaboration between the Lower Brule agricultural team, TC Alliance Foundation, and leading experts in soil science. The teams have worked closely over multiple strategy and planning calls to ensure proper implementation at scale.

Special recognition is given to Dr. Jim Schafer, Professor of Agriculture at Maharishi International University and Founder of Soil Tech, whose insights and technical guidance have supported the success of this initiative alongside the board of TC Alliance Foundation.

“What we’re seeing here is the power of starting small and scaling with intention,” shared a representative involved in the project. “This is Tribal-led agriculture, supported by partnership, science, and a shared vision for restoring the land.”

The expansion across thousands of acres represents more than just increased application—it reflects a growing movement toward food sovereignty, soil regeneration, and sustainable agricultural systems rooted in both traditional knowledge and modern practices.

Looking forward, TC Alliance Foundation remains committed to continuing its support of the Lower Brule Tribal Nation and expanding similar initiatives across other Tribal lands, helping bring regenerative solutions to scale.

About TC Alliance Foundation

TC Alliance Foundation supports Indigenous-led regenerative agriculture through mineral-based soil restoration, education, and strategic partnerships. Its mission is to rebuild soil systems, strengthen communities, and create lasting ecological impact.

“Leverage the Past to Heal Our Future.”

terra-community-alliance-foundation

What the Bison taught me in Wyoming

Wozu

To Plant or Grow ﻿

Wind River Regenerative Agriculture Initiative

Former Chairman of the Wind River Shoshone Tribe, focused on conservation and sustainable land management.

TC Alliance Foundation Supports Producers on the Wind River Indian Reservation

Wind River Tribe begins regenerative agricultural journey

Lower Brule Tribal Nation Expands Regenerative Mineral Application to Over 4,000 Acres

“Leverage the Past to Heal Our Future.”

To Plant or Grow