With an acknowledgement that Cornell Botanic Gardens is located within the traditional homelands of the Cayuga Nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, students will learn about the staple food crops that provided sustenance to native peoples and that are still important today. After a customary Haudenosaunee welcome expressing gratitude for all the blessings of nature, students will be introduced to the Three Sisters crops of corn, beans and squash. They will learn how they have long been grown by the Haudenosaunee and will take home seeds of their own. Also, through a hands-on exercise, students will gain an understanding of the life sustaining nutrition this trio of crops provide. The harvesting of these important food crops will be put in context of the seasonal Haudenosaunee ceremonial cycle.

Recommended grade(s): 4th grade
Available season: August – November