SC - Children's homework weirdness

[Ann Sasahara]

  The pilgrims may have had little onboard when they arrived, but a large 
part of the equation is missing:  the Native Americans.  The only reason the 
Pilgrims survived their first few years at all was thier relationship with 
their new neighbors and the food that was provided and then taught how to 
grow:  squashes, corn, beans.  They didn't have "sweet corn"...it was the dry 
field variety, but could be ground into a meal to make bread.  
  The actual horticulture of such foods was a good example of companion 
planting:  a mound was made...and a dead fish placed on the bottom 
(fertilizer, you know!), then a bit of dirt and corn seeds.  Once the corn 
was up..bean seeds were planted around it..to use the corn plants as a 
trellis as the vines grew.  Squash vines were planted between the mounds and 
the wide leaves formed a natural mulch to keep the weeds down.  This actually 
works quite well!  

Etain