Milpa Garden 2024

Milpa gardening is a Central/South American technique that capitalizes companion planting. Chickens love to scratch and sun-bathe in dirt, but the downside of this healthy behavior is that it can leave behind an area that resembles a moonscape, and contains about as much life; essentially nothing.

My goal was to transform the nitrogen-rich, compacted and bare soil to grow a variety of sun-loving plants, which would attract pollinators, provide cooling shade for the soil, as well as create edible crops. Finally, the spent leaves, stalks, and roots add organic matter to the soil, which increases its ability to store moisture as well as aeration.

I considered the Native American “Three Sisters” example—corn, squash, and beans. I would plant hills of butternut squash “Waltham”, and randomly sow a mixture of wheat, forage peas, buckwheat, hot peppers, sunflowers, safflower, herbs, quinoa, amaranth, tillage radishes, as well as others. It was nearly a full pound of seed of ___ varieties.