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