Tall, straight maize provided a structure on which climbing beans could thrive without the need for poles. The beans put nitrogen into the soil, which improved the growth of maize and squash. The squash provided ground cover which helped to eliminate weeds. A diet based on maize, beans, and squash provided complex carbohydrates and amino and fatty acids and constituted a healthy diet, particularly if supplemented by fish or meat. Those tribes who lived close to the sea or rivers often used rotting fish as a form of fertilizer. By around 5000 BCE, the three sisters were being grown across North
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