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