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The 3 Sisters – A Native American Garden

With the slow arrival of spring in northern North America, many of us “urban farmers” are eager to start planting.

Using Companion Planting, where one plant helps the other,  the 3 Sisters Garden is an old fashioned, but very effective farming technique.  Unlike modern agribusiness which is based on yields extracted from the land regardless of environmental cost, the Native American garden, which was actually a form of small-scale farming, made the land richer.

A 3 Sisters garden can be planted on a smaller scale.  Plant the corn first.  When the corn reaches 5 inches in height, plant the pole beans.  About a week later, plant your squash seeds.  The corn supports the beans, the beans provide nitrogen and the squash keeps moisture in and shades out the weeds. Urban garden harmony.

Please purchase seeds from a retailer or company that carries GMO free seeds and has taken the Safe Seeds Pledge.

Original sources: Mother Earth News and GMO Free USA

Adapted by John Zeus

Rent the Chicken is the innovative brainchild of Phillip and Jenn Tompkins of Freeport, Pennsylvania. Catering to the urban farming trend, the Tompkins let customers rent two egg-laying hens and all of their supplies, and provide an in-person lesson on urban chicken farming and maintenance.
The Tompkins say their business takes the commitment out of raising egg-laying hens from the time that they’re chicks, and helps cut down on the number of chickens that get abandoned in shelters. They deliver and pick up the hens and all supplies within a 50-miles of their hometown and will replace chickens that get eaten by predators, but they’ll take away your chicken rental rights and charge you a fee if the chicken dies because of neglect.

Source: Rent the Chicken

Why “Rent The Chicken”?  We provide all of the supplies you need with the rental:  portable chicken coop, two egg laying hens, enough food for the length of your rental, food & water dishes as well as instructions on how to keep your chickens happy! Within two days of the arrival, your chickens will lay eggs ready to use!  These eggs have 1/3 less cholesterol, 1/4 less saturated fats, and 2 times more omega 3 fatty acids than store bought eggs.  Your Rent The Chickens should lay 8-14 eggs per week.  You will know exactly what your chickens eat!

Image Source: rentthechicken.com