Issues → September/October 2008 → Food →
Corn, Beans, Squash -- Planted Together
'Three sisters' of crops
by Tammy Donroe
Credit: Heath Robbins
Butternut squash is a native crop.
Squash, indigenous to Mesoamerica, has been around for at least 5,000 years. The ancient civilizations of these regions were known to cultivate it, and over time the crop spread north -- eventually as far as New England and Canada -- and became a staple.
In fact, the native tribes referred to corn, beans, and squash as the "Three Sisters," a trio of crops that complemented one another when planted together in mounds. Corn provided support for the climbing beans; beans fixed nitrogen for the corn and squash; and the low-growing squash crowded out weeds and helped the soil retain moisture (a boon during droughts). For more information, go to: nativetech.org
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