problematic. After the report, reform policies in the 1930s, such as the Indian

Reorganization Act of 1934, encouraged Cherokees to retain land base, end allotment and

funded programs with an economic base. These policies promoted agricultural education

of women and communal farming (Duffy & Stubbins, 1998; Hurt, 1987). The Civilian

Conservation Corps, established in 1933, helped and taught the Cherokees to restore

overgrazed and farmed lands to a level where the land could be cultivated again (Hurt,

1987).

 The BIA attempted to teach the poorer Cherokee to use the latest agricultural

techniques by holding demonstration projects. It tried to teach Cherokees to raise their

own food on their allotments, but many projects were not successful. Many were

dependent on the government for help and community cooperation became less important

for raising food (Fogelson & Kutshe, 1961). Poorer Cherokees had few draft animals or

farm implements. "The restricted Indians as a class do less farming than before the

allotment of land. The practice of renting land, including crop land, to white farmers is

now more common among restricted Indians than formerly... .self-support by subsistence

agriculture is the modest goal held for restricted Indians" (Hewes, 1942, p. 409-410).

Although capital became available to fund farm projects, it was still considered a basic

obstacle to farming (Hewes, 1942).

 During the 1940s, the wealthier Cherokees raised big gardens at home using plows.

They had high crop yields, canned fruits and vegetables, smoked and salted pork, sold

cream and milk and churned butter. It was important to preserve food for the family

during the winter. Many of these Cherokees became cattle ranchers. They used half their

land for cattle grazing and the other half to grow corn and hay. They invested and worked

on their own property. Men cultivated fields, while women raised home gardens. The