About 40 percent of South Dakotans eat fruit less than once a day, and 26 percent eat vegetables less than once each day. Rural residents have limited access to fresh produce, and South Dakota Native American children have a higher than average risk for obesity and diabetes. To address the issue, South Dakota Extension educators worked with master gardeners, AmeriCorps members, and others to establish community gardens and teach gardening classes. The gardens, seven of which were in Native American communities, served as classrooms for nutrition and production practices. They not only produced fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables, but also provided physical activity, a step toward reducing obesity and diabetes. USDA photo.
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