Three sisters Corn, squash, and beans planted together in a traditional Indigenous agricultural system known as milpa, or Three Sisters. (more) milpa agricultural system Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/science/three-sisters Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/science/three-sisters Also known as: Three Sisters Written by Michele Metych Michele has a B.A. in English from Southeast Missouri State University and an M.A. from DePaul University. She's a Chicago girl at heart, but she still misses living in a place with farms. When she's not... Michele Metych Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Oct 22, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Also called: Three Sisters (Show more) Ask the Chatbot a Question Ask the Chatbot a Question milpa, symbiotic and symbolic interplanting of beans, corn (maize), and squash in Mesoamerican and North American Indigenous agricultural tradition. These three crops have long been viewed as the most important food plants to many people groups, and ancient communities found that planting the three crops together yields better results than growing each separately. In Central America and Mexico, the practice is known as milpa, which also often refers to the field where the crops are planted; other meanings or variations on this name exist. Among Native Americans and First Nations peoples, this planting combination is known as the Three Sisters. ...(100 of 924 words)

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