Big doings at USDA headquarters in D.C. today - Earth Day. The new all-organic People's Garden was unveiled, and booths were manned with experts in composting, Monarch butterflies, "BioPreferred" products, and lots more. And the blessing of the new Three Sisters Garden shown here was actually moving, especially for dedicated organic folks just coming back after eight long years in bureaucratic Siberia.
Oh, and Three Sisters Gardens? They're a centuries old Native American combination of corn, beans and squash in a sophisticated, sustainable way that provides for long-term soil fertility, and their planting was an occasion for songs like this one.
(As the camera pans to the left you see Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, who said she was "thrilled" to have an excuse to wear jeans to work that day.)
A step in the right direction. Thank you for posting this!
Posted by: DaffodilPlanter | April 22, 2009 at 05:28 PM
Bother! Now I had to carry my ancient oak clad PC into my garden so that my 3 sisters bed was blessed too. So thanx Susan, I think. ;-)
Note to self: buy a laptop already!
BTW it's the third time I'm having a 3 sisters bed in my potager. Blogged about it on my Dutch garden blog too as many people over here have never heard of it.
Posted by: Yolanda Elizabet | April 23, 2009 at 12:09 AM
If you are thinking that planting a 3 sisters garden would make a great activity to do with kids, here's a great resource from the Cornell Garden-Based Learning Program. (Full disclosure: I work at Cornell.) http://ecommons.library.cornell.edu/handle/1813/3626
Posted by: Craig at Ellis Hollow | April 23, 2009 at 04:43 AM
One of my neighbors was inspired by her 7 year old daughter, who was inspired by a school lesson, to plant her first 3 Sister's garden (fully documented) and now there is a summer school 3 sisters garden. They used old fish from the freezer for fertilizer, and no newspapers for mulch. the Native Americans did not have newspaper.A purist approach. Hooray for inspired kids!
Posted by: commonweeder | April 23, 2009 at 04:58 AM
Had to miss it due to other Earth Day commitments but this video makes me feel right there - thanks, Susan.
Posted by: Kathy J, Washington Gardener Magazine | April 23, 2009 at 06:22 AM
I'm a big fan of the garden at the Museum of the American Indian. If you visit DC, be sure to walk by, even if you don't go inside. It's messy, a bit unruly and teeming with native plants.
I often wonder if one of the curators picks the produce before passerby get a hold of it!
Posted by: suzq | April 23, 2009 at 01:24 PM
I'm a big Indian fan. Set them free and give them the same rights as everyone else.
Posted by: Old Kim | April 24, 2009 at 08:18 PM
Suzq - and if you are in DC TODAY - The NMAI grounds is having a big garden fest - lots of things for kids to dothere too.
As to who picks the produce at NMAI - you can look to the many tourists and also the neighborhood rats that come out at night.
Posted by: Kathy J, Washington Gardener Magazine | April 25, 2009 at 05:14 AM