Chapter 19 - Recreation
Three Sisters, Caterpillars, Salamanders & Mud
Grandkids make life interesting. They "challenge" me to think of new ways to teach them about history, nature and the joy of discovery. This past Memorial Day (2003) weekend they learned about the history of The Three Sisters, the nature of tent caterpillars and salamanders, and the joy of hiking in the rain.
The Three Sisters
When
Jack (10) and Andi (8) finished breakfast the first morning of their visit,
we walked down to the garden. I told them the Indians that lived in the
Mohawk Valley grew three vegetables: corn, beans and squash. These vegetables
were called "The Three Sisters" because they took care of each other. Corn
was planted and allowed to grow until it was several inches high. Then
pole beans were planted around the corn. The beans grew up the cornstalks
and the roots of the beans provided nutrients (nitrogen) that the corn
needed. Then squash was planted around the beans and corn. The leaves of
the squash shaded the soil in the garden keeping weeds from growing and
preventing the sun from drying out the soil.
. . . . and then planted corn on top of the hills
The
Iroquois planted the Three Sisters in "hills" to keep heavy rains and flood
waters from drowning the seeds and small plants. I explained that we were
going to make hills that were 20 inches wide and one-foot deep.
I was surprised at how enthusiastic Jack and Andi were about this project. I marked off nine circles about three feet apart and they hoed around them until the resulting hills were over a foot high. Then they tamped the hills down until they were the proper width and depth. No easy task for youngsters. When we completed making the hills, they planted several corn seeds in a circle on top of the hill, using their fingers to determine the 1-inch depth. I explained that when the corn was six inches high I would thin the corn down to five plants.
I told them in a few weeks when the corn was high enough, cousins Steven (9) and Mitchell (4) could plant the beans and squash. Andi said, "Then we can call it the Four Cousins Garden."
Update:
Three Sisters Growing Up
The Three Sisters July 10, 2003 July 25, 2003
August 5, 2003 August 10, 2003
Corn cobs and tassles, squash
Cousin's celebrate the progress of Three Sister's Garden.
blossoms and beans climbing to the top.
Corn almost ready.
Tent Caterpillars - Search and
Destroy
On the second day of Memorial Day (2003) weekend when I learned
that our grandkids had no idea what tent caterpillars were, I took them
on a 2-mile hike that passed through an area of second-growth cherry trees.
Eastern tent caterpillars build web-like nests in a variety of trees but
prefer wild cherry above all others. While these leaf-eating critters seldom
destroy a tree, they can disfigure it and retard growth. Breaking up the
"tents" exposes the caterpillars to the elements and predators. A broken
web of caterpillars can provide a bird banquet. The birds near our home
must have had a feast because Jack and Andi tore apart a couple dozen nests.
Jack and Andi instruct Steven in the fine art of destroying
a tent caterpillar nest
and keeping the mess of creepy critters from falling on his
head.
I demonstrated the technique of poking a walking
stick into the nest, pulling it down and keeping the squirming mess of
caterpillars from falling on my head. Cautious at first, they soon mastered
the technique. After finding their "own" dead-branch walking sticks, they
poked them into every nest they could find and reach.
We discovered caterpillar nests at the beginning
and end of our hike. In between they learned to identify strawberry, apple
and choke cherry blossoms and the purple flowers called violets.
Lets Wallow in the Mud Newt
On
the third day, Steven joined the crew. When we got up that morning
it was pouring rain, so after breakfast I gathered all our rain jackets
and rubber boots---they didn't have any with them---and prepared for a
hike in the rain. This time I wasn't surprised at their enthusiasm. I've
never met a kid who didn't like to wallow through water and mud.
Except for the rain, the first part of the hike
was a repeat of the day before. Steven found a walking stick in the woods
and learned to destroy tent caterpillar nests and identify strawberry,
apple and choke cherry blossoms and the purple flowers called violets.
to wallow in the water and mud.
They were having so much fun exploring in the rain they asked if we could hike three miles instead of two. This 3-mile hike took us up a wooded valley with a small stream running through it. Along the muddy trail we discovered several bright orange salamanders. Although clearly orange, these lizard-like creatures are called red-spotted newts; a salamander that begins and ends its life in water but spends time on land during its pre-adult red eft phase.
Andi and Steven wanted to keep a couple of newts for "pets" but after holding them in their hands for a few moments I told them to let them go. The larger of the two "nipped" Steven's hand, so he was quick to comply.
As we moved along a muddy logging road I pointed out places I had seen
deer, bear, coyote, turkey and a pine marten. I predicted we wouldn't see
any wildlife because of all the noise they were making sloshing through
water and mud, and "yelling their heads off." I was wrong.
As we approached the end of the logging road, Andi
yelled, "I saw a deer!"
All heads turned in time to see four more deer leap
across the road. Icing on the cake.
newts along the muddy trail.