Native American growers have long understood the benefits that decaying fish bring to soil. They’ve traditionally buried fish under mounds of soil and planted the “three sisters” – corn, beans and squash – atop those mounds. The technique is well-known to Laura Manthe, the coordinator for the Oneida White Corn Growers Group in Wisconsin. She’s working with the group to grow an heirloom variety of Iroquois white corn. The group was curious about updating traditional fertilizer practices. Their new approach is to use fish emulsion to fertilize white corn, which is part of the Oneida group’s heritage.
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Marie Flanagan is the communications specialist for North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, a U.S. Department of Agriculture grants and education program that promotes profitability, natural-resource stewardship, and quality of life for farmers, ranchers and their communities.
