Native American: Cooking by the 13 Moons - June: Strawberry Moon (Southwest)

June is the 5th Moon known as the Strawberry Moon, one of the most significant Moons in the Anishinaabe 13 Moons calendar system. Strawberries are often referred to as the Heart Berry and hold deep cultural significance. The Strawberry Moon represents gratitude, reconciliation, and the renewal of relationships with the land, with one another, and with ourselves. Strawberries are the first fruits of the season, arriving early and reminding us to slow down, give thanks, and acknowledge the gifts we’ve received. Traditionally, this Moon was a time to gather berries, share food, and reflect on balance and harmony within the community. This session we’ll prepare two dishes, Strawberry Chicken Wild Rice Salad, and Blue Corn with strawberries, and enjoy Strawberry Tea.

If the tour is full, please add your name to the waitlist. We will notify you if a spot opens.

April Smith

April Smith is an enrolled member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe. She is also an Indigenous Educator and Facilitator, an Herbalist from Cornell University, a Curriculum Designer, and her work is rooted in Ojibwe cultural education and nutrition, Indigenous Food Sovereignty, and community wellness. With over 16 years of experience designing and facilitating learning experiences for communities and organizations, April brings a unique approach that blends Anishinaabe foodways with modern wellness practices. Her work is grounded in reciprocity, sustainability, and respect for ancestral knowledge. She teaches that food is medicine and that every ingredient has a story, one that connects us all through shared humility and care for Mother Earth. April’s Indigenous Cooking Class Series runs from January 2026 through May 2026, featuring five seasonal classes that celebrate traditional Anishinaabe foods and share how the Anishinaabe people lived by the 13 Moon System. Cooking by the 13 Moons: Indigenous Seasons of Food Series invites participants to rediscover the relationship between food, culture, and the land, an experience that nourishes both body and spirit.

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