Royal Queen Farms, Louisiana
Coming from a family that has historically farmed and stewarded the land, Michelle Joan Papillion established Royal Queen Farms as a tool for healing. The farm is on her ancestral land and is located in Southwest Louisiana in the Atakapa Ishak Nation territory. The focus of Royal Queen Farms is to protect and grow rare herbal and botanical native species plants. The pillars of Royal Queen Farms are growing and sharing food, teaching and educating on sustainable land stewarding practices, and sharing resources, networks, and knowledge with the community.
Michelle was in the 2023 Louisiana Food Fellowship Cohort. Her research during the fellowship focused on shared economics, food systems and pathways, and food policy council. Being proactive in creating a real food sovereign network in her community is an important part of her work.
With the support of this grant, Royal Queen Farms will be able to do some important infrastructure work that will strengthen their irrigation systems.