"mAKING A DIFFERENCE IN INDIAN COUNTRY. ONE NATIVE YOUTH AT A TIME"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These 2 young women, who are members of the Crow Tribe, do not take their cattle businesses for granted. They know that it entails a lot of hard work and responsibility. With the assistance of the FSA Outreach Project, Larna and Luvena were able to purchase cattle utilizing funds from the FSA Youth Loan Program.

On a cold January day, Old Elk sisters, Larna and Luvena are preparing to feed cattle. With the help of their father, Larry Old Elk, they load up in the pickup that has already been stacked with bales of hay from the day before. They head out to the winter feed ground several hundred yards from their house in Garryowen, Montana.

These 2 young women, who are members of the Crow Tribe, do not take their cattle businesses for granted. They know that it entails a lot of hard work and responsibility. With the assistance of the FSA Outreach Project, Larna and Luvena were able to purchase cattle utilizing funds from the FSA Youth Loan Program. Larna was approved for an FSA Youth Loan in 2000. She requested an application and received assistance from the former FSA Outreach Liaison Shawn Real Bird. She purchased 6 head of cows at that time and she has now built her herd up to 19 total head. She is currently a student at the University of Montana majoring in Pharmacy. When she is away at school, her father, sister and brother Lawren, help take care of her cattle for her.

After witnessing her older sister participate in the FSA Youth Loan Program, Luvena requested an application from FSA Outreach Liaison Lorri Not Afraid in the spring of 2002. She was approved for funding and she purchased her cattle in the winter of 2003. Luvenia is 19 years old and is a graduate of Hardin High School. She plans to attend school at a later date since she is busy managing her FSA youth loan project. For now, she is busy learning some business skills as well as saving money for college.