This year I’ve had a chance to learn a lot about the first people who were at home in the lands we now call North America. These Native Americans had amazing civilizations where agriculture thrived and community was a focal point. I encourage you to take some time to listen to these episodes, watch the videos on them as well.

Digging Up Ancient Desert Farming Practices

So often when I travel abroad I am mesmerized by ancient history, so I was totally into getting this interview on ancient desert farming practices. Seeing a Smithsonian article on the Gila River Indian Community led to my finding connections in the US who could talk about the way water was used in prehistoric times, as well as well known times in US history. So in this episode, archaeologists Kyle Woodson and Wesley Miles talk to us about the native peoples who have called this land home, water use and other pieces of the community. The following episode is a conversation with farmer Terry Button who’s family grows a number of traditional crops on the rez.  (See the video from my visit with Wesley where we talked about ancient desert farming practices.)

Revitalizing Native Foods & Farming at Ramona Farms

We continue discussions about native foods and farm on the Gila Indian Community in Arizona (hope you caught part 1 talking the culture, history & water of the Pima people). In this episode we talk with Terry Button about the work he and his wife Ramona are doing at Ramona Farms. Terry shares some of the foods the Pima people have eaten for generations, sharing the roles of corn and tepary beans and some of the foods that can be foraged in the desert. (See video from my visit with Terry on revitalizing native foods.)

Uncovering Cahokia’s Food History & Forgotten Farmscapes

With Cahokia’s food history on our minds after our last episode, we turn to my backyard of St. Louis and are digging into more Native American food and farming history. Joined by Dr. Gayle Fritz, anthropologist and professor emeritus from Washington University, we uncover the mysteries of this once-thriving metropolis and its food and farming footprint. (See the full blog post and photos on Cahokia’s Food History).

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With Cahokia’s food history on our minds after our last episode, we turn to my backyard of St. Louis and are digging into more Native American food and farming history. Joined by Dr. Gayle Fritz, anthropologist and professor emeritus from Washington University, we uncover the mysteries of this once-thriving metropolis and its food and farming footprint.

(An AI created transcript is available for episode 410. It was created via Castmagic.)

Dr. Gayle Fritz

Get ready to have your mind blown as Gayle delves into the incredible discoveries and hidden histories of Cahokia. It was major city and the largest metropolitan area long before Europeans arrived here. It was the largest city north of Mesoamerica between 1000-1400 CE. And today, it is surrounded by corn and soybean fields as well as small towns — it’s in the horseradish capital of Collinsville!

Did you know that the original residents of Cahokia cultivated crops we still grow like corn, squash and nuts? They also grew so-called “lost crops” as they are no longer in production? They even had their own version of quinoa! Plus, we’ll explore the various purposes of the mounds found in Cahokia, from ceremonial rituals to burial grounds.

A Look at Cahokia

Cahokia is an UNESCO World Heritage site because of the significance the site has to the cultural history of the Americas. During the episode we discuss that this city of more than 10,000 people was a focal point for the region in the Mississippian period. And keep this piece of trivia handy — Cahokia was a larger city than London in 1250!

Cahokia was somewhat of a capital of the intricate network of mounds scattered throughout the region. These mounds served various purposes, from being platforms for buildings and ceremonial sites to housing graves and acting as charnel houses. As Gayle explained, the shape, size, and purpose of the mounds were diverse, and they held significant cultural and spiritual meaning for the people of Cahokia.

Today, the site hosts a range of programs including solstice observances. The most visually awe-inspiring sight is the multi-tiered Monk’s Mound (European monks settled here for some time, hence the name). This is the mound from across the road. Look closely and you will see tiny dots that are people climbing it. I can only imagine how massive these would have been when first built more a thousand years ago.

It’s definitely a hike up as each tier takes you up a lot of elevation. Looking up, even one layer is daunting but look how small the vehicles on the road below are when I looked down from the top of the stairs!

While the current site is a park of more than 3 square miles, it was a sprawling city with large farms for miles in every direction. When I went with family years ago, I zoomed in on the horizon with my iPhone… the St. Louis skyline is definitely clear on a good day even if it pixelates.

Cahokia’s Food History

I was luckily enough to be put in touch with Gayle by reaching out to the site manager who works for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Cahokia, being a bustling metropolis, was undoubtedly a hub for trade. And the demand for food and farming with such a large population would lead to a focused effort. And of course, food was likely a valuable commodity in Cahokia’s trading.

Knowing about the three sisters, I asked about what specific crops were grown and exchanged, along with the methods used in farming during that era. How did the people of Cahokia cultivate their land, and what did they introduce to the region?

Corn was definitely a staple…. it started as the grass teosinte and the MesoAmericans kept selecting for more of the edible grain. I took this photo of teosinte years ago but can’t picture where we were on the development curve to today’s corn cobs.

There was a lot of squash, pumpkins, sunflowers, nuts and more. And of course, deer and other animals were hunted for meat. The last time I was in the museum at Cahokia, I snapped this shot on one of the food oriented exhibits.

Lost Crops of Cahokia

One of the most intriguing aspects of Cahokia’s food and agriculture is the exploration of the crops that have been lost to history. Gayle shed light on these ancient treasures, talking about some that were rich in protein and others that provided important oils.

Gayle brought up the following crops:

• Kinopodium: A relative of quinoa called lambsquarter that was likely a lost crop in the region around Cahokia. It is a high-protein grain.
• Sumpweed: A native crop related to sunflower that was selected for larger seeds and high lipid content.
• Maygrass: A native grass that was found to have high protein content and was likely an important food source at Cahokia.
• Little barley: Another native grass with high protein content that was likely used as a food source.
• Erect knotweed: A plant related to Japanese buckwheat that was mentioned for its potential as a protein-rich crop.

But just imagine, how did these forgotten crops taste and how did they fit into the daily diet of Cahokia’s inhabitants?  Is there someone out there like Ramona and Terry Button who may bring these crops back into cultivation? Gayle’s colleague Dr. Natalie Mueller hopes that some of these lost crops can be reestablished in the future. She discusses it with St. Louis Public Radio in this interview.

Farming Advances in Cahokia

Finding, sorting, focusing in on growing some of the seeds that were most desirable was likely one aspect of Cahokian agriculture. The scale of production needed to sustain a city of that size would require significant organization. It may surprise someone — and yet not at all surprise others — that women were the ones who focused on this part of the food puzzle. The commitment to build from seed to large fields of production and then finding the right ways to store them for winter was something that amazed Europeans once in the area.

There were also major advances in farm tools with various types of rock or stone as well as animal antlers and bones alongside hardwoods like hickory to cut through the earth’s crust for planting. Rice farmer Blake Gerard said the stone work and sharpening remains impressive today!

Whereas much of the work of the native people of the Gila River Valley was in irrigation, the people of Cahokia had an abundance of water with the Mississippi River and so many other rivers and creeks in the area.

Links Mentioned

The book on Cahokia’s food Dr. Gayle Fritz has written is (affiliate link to Amazon) Feeding Cahokia: Early Agriculture in the North American Heartland (Archaeology of Food).

Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site

Interview with Dr. Natalie Mueller on lost crops 

Castmagic is the AI tool (link to Castmagic & give me a referral fee that doesn’t impact your cost) that helps with some of the content shared here and on social channels. It helps me do more faster since I don’t stare at a blank screen. 

The post Uncovering Cahokia’s Food History & Forgotten Farmscapes appeared first on Grounded by the Farm.

We continue discussions about native foods and farm on the Gila Indian Community in Arizona (hope you caught part 1 talking the culture, history & water of the Pima people). In this episode we talk with Terry Button about the work he and his wife Ramona are doing at Ramona Farms. Terry shares some of the foods the Pima people have eaten for generations, sharing the roles of corn and tepary beans and some of the foods that can be foraged in the desert.

You can see the transcript that was produced via AI here.

Growing “Indian Corn”

I’ve talked corn with a lot of folks (you may remember Dave who makes his own masa and polenta in Iowa). Terry & Ramona go even deeper into diverse varieties of corn, some he refers to as Indian corn for it’s role as a traditional staple for the Pimas. I love that he shared some of the ways they’re cooked locally!

Terry introduced me to pink corn, which the people of the Gila River indigenous community have cultivated for centuries. This corn is a star in both taste and appearance he says, featuring stunning hues of pink that add a touch of vibrancy to any dish.

But what makes this corn truly extraordinary is its versatility in Native American cuisine. From the savory delicacy of tamales to the hearty satisfaction of pozole (mentioned as a must have food for the holidays in Mexico), pink corn takes center stage, lending its unique flavor and distinct texture to traditional dishes that have been lovingly passed down through generations.

Aside from pink corn, Terry also shared insights into other indigenous varieties beloved in the community and prioritized by a lot of chefs. He points to Indian flint corn, a variety with vibrant, multicolored kernels. Its robust texture and nutty flavor make it ideal for grinding into cornmeal, which can be used to create everything from cornbread to tortillas and more.

I love that there are red corns too and that they have selected for cobs that are solid red as well as continuing to plant some of the red and white marbled. How appropriate that they call it Ramona red! And he’s also grown a good bit of sweet corn that is more mainstream today.

Tepary Beans — A Unique Tribal Food

I haven’t had a chance to really learn about tepary beans before but they are central to the diets of native peoples in Arizona and other parts of the Southwest as well as Mexico. These beans have a rich history and are deeply tied to the heritage of the land.

I’m not sure you could find anyone more excited about tepary beans — Terry absolutely loves them and it shows! He emphasized the diversity of colors, with varieties ranging from creamy white to vibrant brown. Each variety brings unique flavors and uses of tepary beans.

Photo of white tepary beans from RamonaFarms.com

When it comes to flavors, Terry described the white tepary bean as having a milder, almost sweet and buttery taste. On the other hand, the brown variety exhibits a nuttier flavor, creating a delightful contrast. Black teparies are less common, take longer to cook and have a rich robust flavor with a finish a bit of a chocolately finish.

These unique flavors make tepary beans a favorite among bean connoisseurs like Terry, and their versatility allows them to be incorporated into a wide range of recipes. He says whether cooked up as a hearty soup, included in a flavorful chili, or added to refreshing salads, these beans bring a distinct taste and texture to any recipe. And the family shares their favorite recipes on the Ramona Farms website.

With their high drought tolerance and disease resistance, tepary beans are not only a staple ingredient but a crop that does really well on the reservation.

A Tour of the Farm

He took me for a drive around the farm and reservation. You’ll see that they were baling hay and still planting some cotton when I was there in early May. All of that is also discussed in the podcast episode!

Castmagic is the AI tool (link to Castmagic & give me a referral fee that doesn’t impact your cost) that helps with some of the content shared here and on social channels. It helps me do more faster since I don’t stare at a blank screen. 

The post Revitalizing Native Foods & Farming at Ramona Farms appeared first on Grounded by the Farm.

So often when I travel abroad I am mesmerized by ancient history, so I was totally into getting this interview on ancient desert farming practices. Seeing a Smithsonian article on the Gila River Indian Community led to my finding connections in the US who could talk about the way water was used in prehistoric times, as well as well known times in US history. So in this episode, archaeologists Kyle Woodson and Wesley Miles talk to us about the native peoples who have called this land home, water use and other pieces of the community. The following episode is a conversation with farmer Terry Button who’s family grows a number of traditional crops on the rez.  

The Gila River Indian Community

When I was a teenager, I had a friend who was from the Pima tribe. I’ve frequently been interested in learning more and have learned a bit here and there during my travels to Arizona. But visiting the Gila River Indian Community took that learning to new levels. It is home to the Akimel O’odham (Pima) and Pee Posh (Maricopa) tribes.

Both of these tribes have a rich cultural heritage that dates back thousands of years and while much of their history wasn’t recorded or shared broadly, some is being unearthed as archaeologists look at the pathways of ancient canals built for irrigation. These canals have been a lifeline for the people for thousands of years as the people farmed in this desert.

Wesley Miles (above) at the Gila River Interpretive Center

Kyle Woodhouse

Kyle & Wes talked with us about some of the challenges the tribes have faced, especially those that impact the food and farming aspects like changes to land management and ownership and industrialization. It’s been difficult for individuals to farm, make a living, and like in other parts of the country, farming has shifted to a larger scale.

Fortunately, there is still a strong sense of community within the tribes, which has helped them to weather the changes that have come with time. And more younger members are looking to practice the traditions.

By working together, the Pima and Maricopa tribes continue to preserve their heritage through traditional farming practices, and the creation of the Huhugam Heritage Center, a museum that tells the story of the community and their peoples.

Wes showed me around a bit of the community and you may enjoy the tour:

Water Needed for Desert Farming

The Gila River starts in the mountains of New Mexico, where years ago I toured the Gila Cliff Dwellings (a National Park Service monument). And while there were definitely some migratory movements in the area, Kyle says the Pima had permanent structures on farm and in villages along the Gila in the areas that included the irrigation channels. Researchers have discovered that irrigation farming technology began independently in Arizona, rather than being influenced by Mexico or Peru. This game-changing discovery has led to an increased understanding of how food has been grown for centuries in this part of the Sonoran desert, using simple yet effective systems for moving water to crops.

One fascinating aspect of the discovery is how it shows what can be accomplished when people work together to solve a problem. The communities that grew around these early canal systems shared water and other landscape features, but individual farms were strictly delineated property. This sedentary lifestyle led to the development of rules and policies among the villagers and settlements, an early form of agricultural regulation that ensured fair use of resources and productive farming. Here’s the map we reference in the interview.

While the technology used by ancient peoples was primitive by current standards, it was also highly effective. Their farms became their livelihood and property, producing enough food to allow people to stay in one place and cultivate the land year after year. Through the work of archaeologists and researchers, including Kyle and Wesley, we are gaining a better understanding of the adaptations that were made to water management practices over time and how they have shaped the way we farm today.

More recently, water rights for the tribes were reinstated after having dams upstream restrict water access for years. The return of the water rights has already had impacts revitalizing an interpretive center Wesley showed me around in the video above. And more is coming with farms.

Learn More

Our next episode will include a conversation with a farmer on the Gila River Indian Community lands. The Button family has a rich history with farming in that area and continues many traditional crops. You can also check out the Gila River Indian Community website at GilaRiver.org.

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