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