Navajo Gardening and
Preserving Garden Produce
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Introduction: Gardens form one of the primary elements in the Navajo food resource. The traditional Navajo received virtually all his food from his animals and his garden. We have been growing corn and squash in our gardens for thousands of years. In recent years we have added potatoes, carrots, watermelons and apple, cherry and pear trees. Preparing the land for gardening: If there had not been a garden in this spot before, or if there were a lot of weeds growing, the garden plot was first burned off. This did a couple of things:
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After it was burned the garden bed was prepared. This was done with a greesewood digging stick, sharpened on one end. This kind of wood is very hard and durable. The stick was used to dig up the dirt where the seed was going to be planted. Often, the seed was planted at the same time the dirt was loosened up with the digging stick. Usually, only the dirt around where the seed was to be planted was disturbed, rather than all the dirt in the garden. Planting the seed was the woman's responsibility. But a man could also do it. Irrigation: After the garden was planted, because of the very low rainfall in this part of the world, the seeds needed to be watered every day. After the seeds sprouted and began to grow they continued to need frequent watering, weeding, and care. When harvest time did come, the squash was cut off the vine and put in the hogan. Being cool in the summer and relatively warm in the winter, this was an excellent place to keep it. The squash lasted here for several months without spoiling. The corn ears were picked off the stocks before they were dry and thrown in a big pile where they continued to dry. After they were dry, they were husked by hand and poured into a sack. This sack was stored in the hogan with the other food that was being kept for the winter. |
These pages a public service of Walton Feed, Montpelier, Idaho.
Copyright 1997 by Al Durtschi. All rights reserved.
Updated: 7 Apr 97