The LEAF program of Edmonds Community College continued their transformations in the Westgarden on May 27th. A “3 sister’s” assemblage: corn, beans and squash, was planted in the southwest corner of the garden! But first, the area needed to be weeded and prepped.
It was pouring rain, but that didn’t stop the 25 students from weeding the area to be planted, sifting compost…
Widening a path for extra soil to make mounds, amending with the compost….
And transforming the once weedy area for planting! Challenging weather, but great-spirited work!
Just in time for planting, the sun came out! Can you see the shadows?!
Ellie Sherman, Garden Apprentice, shared about the 3 sisters, and showed how to plant them in the mounds, with a short-season corn in the center, pole beans around the corn, and butternut squash around the outside.
Traditionally, the corn provides support for the beans, the squash provides cover to hold in moisture and reduce weeds, and the beans provides nitrogen for the corn and squash. Plus, the three foods together are nutritionally complete. A wonderful assemblage!
In our cold, wet northwest spring this year, the beans may grow faster than the corn… we’ll keep you posted!
Another LEAF transformation in the garden, learning about soil, compost, planting, traditional ecological wisdom, and nutrition.
Check out how it grew here!
Much appreciation to Professor Tom Murphy and students Samantha Aiguier, Alejandro Barajas, Jay Chan, Cory Gunn, Liam Holmes, Puri Kasemteerasoboon, Philomena Kedziorski, Tatyana Klepanchuk, James Laurae, Scott Lujan, Joseph Madsen, Johanna Martinez, Alena Obrochta, Alison Overland, Jocelyn Oakley, Kanaiaupuni Piilani, Maribel Ruiz, Jason Stentz, Gail Tamura, Kevin Trinh, Chris VanHal and Jeremy Williams!
