3 Sisters Soup: Harmonize with Nature’s Harvest

Growing up outside of Washington, D.C., it was challenging for me to connect with nature in the ways my curious little soul desired. I did my best exploring what was around my neighborhood, spending hours hunting for crawfish at the creek with my brother and building fairy rings from sticks and stones in our yard. I even set fire to a bunch of pine needles I had not-so-carefully assembled, and quickly rollerbladed away when I realized my mistake (my neighbors totally saw me and told my dad - oops). I took a "Bridge to Terabithia" and "Hatchet" as lifestyle guides, reading them while communing with caterpillars in those same pine trees.

It wasn't until college that I realized how disconnected I became from nature. Some of that detachment stemmed from my efforts to fit in during the emotionally turbulent middle school years. I attended a university in Southwestern Virginia, where I was fortunate to spend time with my friends at the New River after late nights out, or for weekend floats. One of my roommates was an environmental science major, and I remember teasing her for enthusiastically suggesting, "Dude, do you want to go fishing at 6 am?" Post-college, I came to appreciate her for subtly educating us about the importance of sustainability and protecting the earth.

In my mid-twenties, I had somewhat of a spiritual awakening that led me to seek unfamiliar communities by living and volunteering on farms. Initially, it was a culture shock because I had probably only been camping once in my life outside of going to festivals. Ultimately, it brought me closer to understanding how much I value connection with nature and community.

Over the years, I've learned a lot about myself through farming, as well as how to care for plants from the ground to the plate. I realize that many of us likely share similar experiences of growing up in concrete metropolitan areas where we didn't have access to nature, big or small. When I was exploring names for the studio, I thought a lot about the transformational experiences that motivated me to create this type of space. The name of the studio, Rhythms, signifies the connection between nature's daily, monthly and seasonal cycles and our personal routines and growth.

Initially, we offered nutritionally dense beverages from the local company, Yes Produce Club, run by Lydia Parsley. Check out her subscription offerings for organic produce (and juices) sourced from local farms. She’s on a brief hiatus working on a project until Oct 23rd, but she will be back to nourish you soon. Eventually, I aim to incorporate more food offerings, including grab-and-go meals. For now, we will focus on showcasing recipes and organizing events to help you connect more with the beauty that each season offers.

Now that I've shared my personal history, let's talk about the history of the Three Sisters. Indigenous cultures of the Americas practiced a type of intercropping called the Three Sisters, where they planted corn, beans, and squash together. Corn supported beans, which supplied nitrogen through nitrogen-fixing rhizobia bacteria on their roots, while squash and pumpkins acted as ground cover to control weeds and reduce soil evaporation (thank you to my college roommate Sam for taking a soils class and teaching me this).

"Three Sisters Soup represents harmony and togetherness. In my opinion, it's a soup to remember and honor our ancestors who persevered through hard times. For present and future generations, this soup brings people together."

- Chef Ramon Shiloh, friend & chef (he introduced me to Yes Produce)

Ingredients

• 1- 2 C squash (cubbed)

• 1 ear of corn (shucked & stripped)

• 1 C dried white beans, soaked and pre-cooked until al dente (you can substitute a can or two if you prefer)

• 1 bunch of kale (chopped)

• as much garlic as you want, I did 3 cloves because mine was FRESH, honey.

• 3 TBSP of oil, I used avocado

• 1 TBSP Italian seasoning

• 1/2 TBSP of cumin

• 1/2 tsp of coriander

• 1/2 tsp of turmeric

• 1 bay leaf

• salt & pepper to taste

• habenero, or other pepper, flakes (optional)

• 4 C water (ish), you could also use broth but I don’t think it’s necessary

Cooking Steps

1. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat and add chopped onions, cook for 2-3 min before adding spices and garlic.

2. Stir spices, garlic & onion until fragrant (about 1 min). Add bay leaf and about 1 tsp of salt and cook for 30 more seconds.

3. Add corn, squash and stir until combined then add your cooked beans and water.

4. Close lid of pot and wait until soup comes to a boil. At this point I open the lid, taste for saltiness and add extra seasoning if need.

5. Reduce heat to low and simmer the soup until the veggies are cooked to your liking.

6. Throw in your kale at the very end and turn off heat.

7. Wait until the kale has wilted to serve with pepper flakes.

** I’ve added lemon, parm and herbs to make give a little something different, but it’s totally fine as it (ask my friends at Barista)

Check out the video on our Instagram to see the steps! Our fall event at Douglas Farm (Sauvie Island) is Oct 1st. Wake up to the sun, move, meditate, & immerse yourself in the sounds of nature. Grounded movement by Tenley, sound bath & mindful walking led by Antha Reynolds. We'll be serving soup, Moody Chai and Diverso coffee! Ticket price includes u-pick of Douglas Farm’s produce.