The Three Sisters

There is a ton of information on the web already about the Three Sisters garden, but since I want to start keeping a better record of what we're up to here, I thought I'd add my own description.The "Three Sisters" consist of Corn, Beans and Squash. Native Americans (I'm not sure which particular groups) would plant these three crops together because of their complimentary nutritional value and how each member of the guild benefits the others. The beans climb the corn and convert nitrogen from the air into plant food. The squash acts as a living mulch, keeping the soil moist and weeds in checkspan>

Our good neighbor Bill disked about an acre of our field for us, on half of which we planted trees. It will eventually turn back into hay, but I thought it would be good to make use of its temporary receptivity and plant some food there. I chose the Three Sisters because of the above benefits and that it is a relatively low maintenance form of gardening. The field is located just far enough from the house that we wouldn't want to be walking back and forth that often.

After doing a little research, I discovered that there are as many ways of making this garden as there are people telling you how to do it. I took a little from each, but relied most heavily on Toby Hemenway's book, Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, and also this article from Mother Earth News. Basically I made 56 mounds (4 mounds deep and 14 long) on the South side of the field. I would guess that it takes up about 1/10 of an acre, but I could be way off. The mounds are about a foot high, 20 inches wide, and 5 feet away from each other in all directions. I tilled up the soil with some added manure and compost and then raked it into a flat-topped mound. After finishing the mounds they looked like this:I put the corn kernels in a bowl of water and let them soak overnight. The next day (with some help from my lovely wife) I planted four kernels in the center of each mound and set a stake in the middle to mark where they are. (As we discovered last year, the weeds can grow up pretty quickly and hide the mounds.) I also planted a variety of sunflowers around the edges of the garden to give it some shelter and added beauty. Here is what it looks like at this point:
After a week or so when the corn is about 4 inches tall I'll plant the beans on the edges of the mounds. A week after that I'll plant the squash. I'd say the whole project has taken about four hours thus far, and there is really not much more to do. There will be some minimal weeding in the beginning, but after a few weeks the squash should take care of that part. If it's really dry for a stretch we'll probably have to water it, but again, the squash will keep the ground moist throughout shorter dry spells.

We are working towards being able to subsist on what we grow, and I see this garden as a significant step in this process. Corn, beans and squash all store well, and are all good for you as well. The corn and beans that aren't eaten as they ripen can be left to dry where they stand. The squash should keep for quite a while if kept in a root cellar. I'll try to update as things progress. If anyone has suggestions or comments I'd love to hear them.