Three Sisters

[LIL COO COO]

I have heard that Native Americans sustained themselves by growing beans, corn, and squash. Additionally, the 3 items, used as staples, had all the necessary nutrients people need. I am sure native peoples supplemented their diet with meat and other vitamin rich food stuffs. But, could the 3 Sisters be enough? Given that, I was wondering if anyone here could verify this. Or perhaps enlighten me as to what one should grow or harvest for long term survival situation.

Sorry if this has been discussed before.

 

[BarberFobic1992]

I don't think that the three sisters were a complete diet. I think that the main reason that they chose to grow those three particular plants together was that the beans would grow up the corn stalks, and the squash on the ground would keep weeds from growing. So, they were efficint to grow together.

 

[jca21]

I don't think that the three sisters were a complete diet. I think that the main reason that they chose to grow those three particular plants together was that the beans would grow up the corn stalks, and the squash on the ground would keep weeds from growing. So, they were efficint to grow together.

this is also what i was told

 

[Joben]

I seem to remember something about the three plants together making it so you didn't have to rotate crops...but I don't know enough about agriculture to evaluate the truth of that.

 

[Old CW4]

IMO beans, corn, and squash would be a diet one could survive on and stay healthy for a very long time, many months or even years. I posted in another thread a while back about the FIVE basic plant foods that feed the world and a couple of the 'magical' pairs that were nutritionally 'complete.' Those 'pairs' included beans and corn, and rice and fish. Uncounted thousands of Mexican peons have survived primarily on beans and corn for centuries and many, and innumerable Asians on rice and fish. Those people, barring infectious disease or injury, live to ripe old ages with their teeth, eyesight, hair, etc. The five critical crops, BTW, are corn, beans, rice, potatos, and wheat. That's it, those five plants basically feed the world!

 

[TemplarKnight21c]

If you could only grow a couple, I'd say make one of them soybeans. They taste like crap, but they're very good for you. They are also very hardy, and grow even in soil with very few nutrients.

 

[PayetteRucker]

You have to watch for protein poisoning and vitamin deficiencies. That said, so many civilizations have survived, or even thrived, on things like corn, rice and potatoes, it makes you wonder how our diets have become so complex today.

 

[jca21]

those crops also keep well throughout the year once harvested IIRC

 

[Don Rearic]

It would have to be a survival situation for me to eat squash.

 

[Fonly]

It would have to be a survival situation for me to eat squash.

Here I was thinking I was the only one heatin' that crap.:barf:


beans, corn and fish is I guess!

 

[mcjhrobinson]

quinoa and beans make a complete food and taste good wrapped in a burrito with tapatio!

as for the OP i do not know about those three being a complete food...the idea of them being good weed protection and helping each other grow seems like it makes sense.

 

[mlanghornes]

I know any type of legume actually pulls nitrogen from the air and releases it into the soil, making it easier for other plants to grow. Add in the fact that they are really good for you, and aren't bad-tasting, and you have a really good long-term survival superfood.

 

[kvaughn]

I would think that between those three,hunting, fishing,trapping and a knowledge of/gathering of wild edible plants and fruits it would be a fairly healthy diet.---KV

 

[TATTOOMAN]

I'm good with the squash as long as I can batter and fry it! Corn and beans just good stuff. Randy

 

[Grapevine]

Corn, beans, and squash also seem to be pretty easy to grow. When I was a kid my family tried growing a lot of different things in the backyard garden, and those three and tomatoes grew pretty easily for us. Heck my brother and I had to really try to keep up with harvesting the green beans after school each day when they were in season. And the squashes were almost care-free plantings.

We tried potatoes and failed pretty badly with them. Same with carrots.

 

[nmb]

Corn is very hard on the soil in terms of nitrogen demands, and the beans, being a legume, replenish the nitrogen levels in the soil. This is the feature that led to the corn-soybean rotation on Midwestern farm fields that kept them so fertile for so long. The advent of ammonia fertilizers has made it possible (although not desirable) to grow corn on the same ground for many seasons in a row.

It makes sense that the Native Americans knew about the effects that their corn crop would have on the soil and that legumes such as beans could correct corn's effects. So, in addition to their nutritional completeness, beans and corn make a good combination in terms of ongoing soil fertility.

 

[Shotgun]

I've never heard about the nutritional side of three sisters but it makes sense. I've always heard they were planted together because of what's been said about them compimenting each other as far as growth. Does anyone know the specific plants that were traditionally used? There's a ton of different beans out there and I'm sure there's different varieties of corn and squash as well.

 

[Joezilla]

I'll ask a nutrionist where I work. It certainly sounds interesting, and I love all three! Thanks for the interesting post.

 

[plumberroy]

Nutrition Facts (1 cup cooked, cubes) winter squash

Calories 79.95
Protein 1.82 grams
Carbohydrate 17.94 grams
Dietary Fiber 5.74 grams
Calcium 28.7 mg
Iron 0.67 mg
Potassium 895.85 mg
Folate 57.40 mcg
Vitamin A 7,291.85

If you have any intrest in gardening this is a great web sight

http://urbanext.illinois.edu/veggies/directory.html

I had a little space at the end of the garden so I tried a small 3 sisters garden 12 hills 3x4 Since I don't have a grinder I picked up a small pack of pop corn planted it 4 kernels per hill, for beans I used black beans from walmart the one for cooking 4 beans per hill I got a quart freezer bag as full as you can get it of dried black beans you could eat them as green beans too. for squash I bought a small pack of green striped cushaws 8 seeds got 3 squash @12-15lbs and 5 @ 5-7lbs . I like growing winter squash I posted a picture here a while back of a 38lbs pink banana squash
A lot of winter squash can be grown easily along with the squash planted in the 3 sisters garden I had 2 30 foot rows of assorted winter squash I have around 300 lbs of squash that will keep up to 6 months
Roy

 

[abo4ster]

The three sisters garden creates a symbiotic relationship amongst the plants. Beans are a nitrogen fixer, squash shades the mound (roots), corn provides a place for the beans to grow up. I grew one this year, although my beans did a number on my corn as I didn't let it get established long enough. Here is one link to a three sisters, but there are many different recommendations, so do more research if you decide to do one.

http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/teach/2003045238014436.html

And I would say NO, you could not survive on just a three sisters garden long term (primitive living). There is not enough fat in that diet, not to mention vitamins and amino acids. Unless you live in the tropics, you can't be a vegetarian without a mechanical advantage for labor and supplements.

Plants are the foundation; fire, shelter, tools/traps, medicine, and food (for you and your animal prey). However, when it comes to primitive living or long-term survival, animals are where all nutrients and the most calories can be found.