COTE FIRST NATION — An initiative created to restore Indigenous food systems through hands-on, community-led solutions, including greenhouses, community gardens, chicken coops and land-based food education has begun by Kerrie Norton, a member of Cote First Nation.
“We believe food is medicine and that true sovereignty starts at the root with growing, raising and sharing our own food,” Norton said. “We're not waiting for change. We're planting it, raising it, and preserving it, together.”
Known as the Mountain Eagle Woman Food Sovereignty Initiative, Norton said she is “building a sustainable and culturally grounded model of food security for First Nation communities.”
Readers of the Kamsack Times were first familiarized with Norton in 2021 when a story was printed after a community garden was planted on Cote First Nation.
“From my personal experience, I can see how not being able to afford good food can lead to obesity, depression, fatigue and disease like diabetes, stroke and heart disease,” she had told the Times.
She had said she believed intergenerational trauma caused by residential schools was the root cause of most problems facing Indigenous communities and that adequate nutrition is a vital step in healing First Nations in all aspects of their being: the spiritual, emotional, physical and mental aspects. She said she believes that “when we become out of balance, we experience disease and hardships.”
“I learned a lot about gardening and food security,” said Norton, who is the daughter of Josephine (Josie) Cote of Cote First Nation and Rene Norton of English River First Nation. The garden was planted over two years, and potatoes and onions were harvested.
In May 2025, after completing the “Pathways to Entrepreneurialship” course at Suncrest College in Kamsack, Norton began working with the Cote Band council to secure a Band Council Resolution (BCR) in support of her business initiative. She explained that BCR is a crucial step in navigating the legal requirements of operating a business on reserve and opens access to funding and loan opportunities that are otherwise unavailable. She said she is currently in the process of obtaining this resolution for her Mountain Eagle Woman Food Sovereignty Initiative, which focuses on greenhouse development, community gardens, poultry production, mentorship programs and land-based education, all aimed at directly benefiting members of the Cote First Nation and neighbouring communities.
Before taking the course at Suncrest College, Norton had acquired a flock of 15 older hens and converted an old shed with repurposed scraps she had found. She made the nesting boxes, roosting bars and installed a light and heater. She also had a thermostat to check the temperature throughout the winter. With her setup, she said it had never dipped below -5 C in the coop, even in the dead of winter, and this had allowed her to gain valuable insight into raising and caring for chickens.
During a recent tour of her facility, Norton said that on May 14, she would be receiving 150 chicks, which will be raised for both egg production and meat. She said she used winnings from a bingo jackpot to purchase the necessary startup equipment for the chicks, though she was initially unsure how she would house them all. While enrolled in the Pathways to Entrepreneurship course, she successfully secured a $5,000 Pawâcikêwikamik Indigenous Innovation Accelerator MicroGrant from SIIT (Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies) to build a community chicken coop.
“This coop will provide eggs and poultry to the community at cost.”
Norton said her vision goes far beyond simply producing food. She said she is deeply committed to mentorship, community empowerment and long-term food sovereignty.
Through her Mountain Eagle Woman Food Sovereignty Initiative, she said she plans to support Cote First Nation members who are interested in becoming more self-sufficient. This includes offering laying hens at cost once they’re ready, assisting with the construction of individual chicken coops and providing care packages with practical guidance on raising poultry.
Inspired by the mentorship she received from Mike Tourangeau and his daughter Eileen of Cote First Nation, Norton said she is “passionate about passing that knowledge forward.” Her initiative will also provide hands-on education in poultry care, aiming to help community members, including elders, grow their own food and collect fresh eggs daily.
“I envision a future where gardens flourish and kitchens are nourished by locally raised, sustainable food sources.
“This is not just a business, it’s a movement,” she said. “We combine food production with hands-on learning, mentorship and community empowerment. Our goal is to create a sustainable model that can be shared and replicated across all the nations of Turtle Island, but starts with Cote First Nation, with a pilot project led by spirit, grounded in love for the people, and built to last for generations.
“Mountain Eagle Woman’s target market is primarily the members of the Cote First Nation community. This group of people are shut off from the economic and social benefits that most Canadians enjoy. Much of this target market lives in inadequate housing, has fewer university/high school graduates and a higher unemployment rate in comparison to non-Indigenous Canadians. Mountain Eagle Woman seeks to cater to this market segment by providing food and teaching ways in which they can become food sovereign.”
Norton’s plans include the establishment of a greenhouse to benefit the whole community by providing affordable, organic vegetables at a reasonable cost. The project would identify and recommend where to plant orchards of native trees and berry bushes, develop a community kitchen cooking program, and in time, install a well and irrigation system to ensure access to clean, independent water for food production and livestock care.
She indicates she is interested in the reintroduction of horses that carry spiritual significance for many Indigenous cultures and is looking at raising goats for dairy and meat as well as sheep for meat and wool and dairy cows for milk, butter, yogurt and cheese.
“As the Mountain Eagle Woman Food Sovereignty Initiative grows, the long-term vision includes the creation of a community-owned food co-op,” Norton said. “This co-op will serve as a hub for local food production, processing and distribution; supporting farmers, hunters, gatherers and food artisans by providing them with a shared space to sell and trade their goods.
“The co-op will offer affordable, locally-sourced food to community members while reinvesting profits into further food sovereignty efforts,” she said. “It will also host educational workshops, employ community members, and serve as a distribution point for preserved foods, wild meats, fresh produce and traditional medicines.
“This collective model promotes economic self-sufficiency, strengthens kinship ties, and builds a sustainable local food economy that reflects Indigenous values and priorities.
“As part of the Mountain Eagle Woman Food Sovereignty Initiative, I plan to share my knowledge and lived experience through public speaking at conferences, workshops, and community gatherings.”
Persons interested in learning more about Norton and the Mountain Eagle Woman Food Sovereignty Initiative are urged to visit her website at www.mountaineaglewoman.ca.
