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Lacey launched Indigenous Regeneration in 2017 when they moved from the coast to the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians reservation 6 years ago to build a house and raise her 2 sons. She immediately knew they wanted to do something to make the reservation a better place to raise her boys.
The inspiration to bring a garden to the Reservation was planted three years ago by a friend and the wisdom and guidance from an elder clarified the vision. Proceeds from their first benefit concert funded their 501c3 formation and three years later what has manifested on their land is something to witness.
Indigenous Regeneration now consists of three project sites including Mata’Yuum Farm & Garden, San Pasqual Elders Medicine Path and Constructed Wetlands and the Ishpa Kumeyaay Food Forest.

Everything comes back to the soil
The focus on soil health is how Lacey aligns their priorities. On any given day they are elbow deep in the soil and these core areas of focus:
- Traditional and contemporary food cultivation
- Environmental awareness and re-connection to the land
- Traditional plant education and integration
- Indigenous primitive survival skills
- Healthy self expression through music
- Art and cultural activities
- Regenerative agriculture concepts
- Sustainable building techniques
All of their programming is designed from an Indigenous view, overseen by elders and aligned with holistic practices for modern benefits.



Regenerative Practices are Alive and Well
Regenerating land is a process and Lacey has integrated an impressive and multi-layered approach to learn and maximize their ability to nurture the land.
In the works: With the recent addition of a tractor to their farm they are beginning a regenerative composting program where they will be cooking large piles of compost to continue regenerating the soil over the whole 6 acres.
- No till operation
- Zero chemical inputs
- Ground covers
- High biodiversity
- Utilization of companion planting for pest control
- Focus on pollinators fully integrated within the wider crop system
- Rainwater capture
- Rain run-off flows into catchment systems to raise the ground water table and give life to riparian basket weavers trail.
- Spreading clover and native seeds to help them take over an invasive weed problem
Lessons learned and wisdom found
We asked Lacey what their biggest struggle has been and the lesson they learned from it in hopes their experience resonates and helps regenerative farmers learn. Here’s what she had to say…



VISION
Lacey’s vision is to not only create beautiful farming spaces on their Reservation for today’s community, but also future campus’ for an outdoor Environmental Building Sciences and Self Sovereignty accredited School Program for generations to come.
Their vision is to create an education center that teaches everything from regenerative agriculture to all earth building styles, food forestry, systems technology, husbandry and ethnobotany in order to heavily impact tribal communities and create a platform to help their community get off grid and to be more self sustained.
To Lacey, sovereignty means having control over their food, medicine and housing in a way that frees their people from the colonized systems of the modern world and allows space for all to thrive while building a greater connection to the land.
You can learn more about Lacey and Indigenous Regeneration here:
