| (Thomson, Illinois)-By now most Americans know | | | | originally had adapted their lifestyle to it, he is able |
| that the real first Thanksgiving had very little to | | | | to show his reader why the Pilgrims came so |
| do with what is shown in elementary school | | | | close to failing. But it wasn't just the fish |
| pageants. What they may not know as much | | | | fertilization that saved them. The Pilgrims changed |
| about is the story of the Pilgrims' survival in the | | | | from a large collective farm to the Native |
| New World, the Native American Squanto who | | | | American technique of using smaller "family" |
| helped them and how it all had a lot to do with | | | | gardens that made optimal use of the pockets of |
| the dirt underneath their feet. | | | | better soil. They also began to copy the Native |
| Even after surviving through their first winter, the | | | | American "companion planting" gardens that |
| Pilgrims' fate was still very much up in the air and | | | | helped to nourish the soil. Companion planting is |
| dependent on learning to cultivate the poor soil of | | | | growing specific varieties of plants in the same |
| the area in which they had made landfall. Squanto, | | | | space to benefit the plants and the soil. |
| a Native American who spoke English because he | | | | While all of this information makes sense in a |
| had been kidnapped by early English explorers and | | | | historical context, "Squanto's Secret Garden" |
| taken to England, was sent to act as an | | | | doesn't end there. Many of the soil problems that |
| interpreter. Among other things, he taught them | | | | the Pilgrims had to overcome are problems today |
| the now famous technique of burying a dead fish | | | | because of over farming and soil depletion. Heid |
| in each mound of corn in order to fertilize it. | | | | refers to scientific studies that show how the |
| Both Squanto and the Pilgrims had no way of | | | | nutritional value of fruits and vegetables has |
| understanding the science behind fish fertilization | | | | diminished dramatically over the past 40 years. |
| and the other techniques that were borrowed | | | | Other studies show that organic fruits and |
| from the Native Americans. That is exactly what | | | | vegetables are nutritionally superior to those |
| Bill Heid, the president of the Thomson-based | | | | produced using traditional farming methods. The |
| "Solutions From Science" set out to explore in | | | | answer, Heid contends, is the same now as it |
| "Squanto's Secret Garden," a free Thanksgiving | | | | was in Squanto's day: using marine-based |
| eBook available at: Heid has also developed a new | | | | fertilization. |
| product called ProtoGrow that brings about the | | | | Specifically geared towards the backyard |
| success conditions engineered by Squanto. | | | | gardener, the second half of Heid's book explains |
| ProtoGrow, is an organic "super-food" for plants | | | | how to grow an organic garden using Native |
| that acts as an alternative to traditional, | | | | American planting techniques and marine-based |
| chemical-based fertilizers. It was created to | | | | fertilizer to enrich and improve the soil. A variety |
| actually mimic Squanto's fish fertilization technique. | | | | of companion planting possibilities are suggested |
| "What a lot of people don't know," says Heid, "is | | | | along with layouts for three traditional Native |
| that the food the Pilgrims grew probably tasted | | | | American gardens that suit different |
| better than the food we eat today. And it was | | | | environments and soil conditions. It culminates with |
| also better for them." That is because fish, and all | | | | a selection of English and Native American recipes |
| marine life are uniquely suited to giving the soil the | | | | making use of garden produce that are based on |
| nutrients that will make it produce the best food. | | | | what was actually eaten at the first Thanksgiving. |
| In addition to providing the soil with vital nutrients | | | | By reconnecting people today with one of |
| like calcium, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and | | | | America's greatest heroes and his life-giving gift |
| sulfur, marine life is the best source of trace | | | | to the Pilgrims, Heid hopes to revitalize interest in |
| elements. Trace elements are the near | | | | the forgotten gardening methods that gave birth |
| microscopic amounts of different elements that | | | | to the very first Thanksgiving. The story goes |
| are necessary for the human body to survive | | | | that Samoset and Squanto welcomed the Pilgrims |
| and that poor soil often lacks. "Food can only ever | | | | and then asked for beer. But in the end, it wasn't |
| be as good as the soil you grow it in," Heid | | | | the beer the Pilgrims had for the Native |
| explains. | | | | Americans, so much as it was the fertile gardens |
| In "Squanto's Garden," Heid looks at what really | | | | and bountiful harvest the natives returned so |
| happened as the Pilgrims learned to cultivate the | | | | freely. "I really want to show all Americans why |
| land properly. He also goes back far earlier to | | | | Squanto's Secrets worked for our Pilgrim Fathers |
| examine the problems of the soil in New England | | | | and how his life-giving secrets are even more |
| through the area's geological history. By learning | | | | valuable today. As Americans, we should all be |
| about the rocky, poor soil conditions in the area | | | | thankful for this great man. |
| and how the Native American's living there | | | | |