The Hopi Method of Planting Corn in an Arid Region

Dry Farming

• Dry farming is an agricultural method historically used by the Hopi people, and the Hopi are often credited with its invention. Some farmers in arid regions still use this agricultural style today. Using this method, corn is planted and grown without supplemental irrigation, and is fully dependent on water from winter snows and summer monsoons. In addition, the Hopi practiced methods that channeled water and controlled runoff to maximize water retention while protecting crops from the damage of flooding. Also, the practice of clumping plants together protects plants from excessive drying in hot climates.

Specialized Corn

• Hopi corn (Zea mays), hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 11, is an annual corn with blue kernels. While the Hopi plant different types of corn today, historically, the corn associated with the Hopitu people, as the Hopi call themselves, had very specific qualities that rendered it much more adaptable to the harsh desert climate than their more delicate corn cousins. The Hopi corn develops an elongated stem-like growth between the seed and the crown, where the first whorl of roots develop. This stem-like growth is called the mesocotyl, and it functions similarly to a tap root. This mesocotyl allows the roots to access water better.

Hopi Method

• Hopi planting, growing, and harvesting methods are labor-intensive and performed almost exclusively by hand. Modern farmers may use tractors or other machinery, but the majority of the work is performed manually. Once the field is cleared of weeds, planting begins, usually around April. Seeds are planted in rows that are about 3 paces apart, and each row is comprised of hills that are 3 to 4 paces apart. A wooden stick is used to dig a hole 10 to 12 inches deep. Six to 12 seeds are placed into the hole and covered up. Plants emerge is staggered clumps, and plants within the clump are better protected from damaging winds and intense sunlight than they would have been if planted individually. If further protection is needed, stones or brush barriers may be placed around clumps or around the perimeter of the field to deflect wind and sun.

Ceremonial Corn

• Historically, corn grown for ceremonial purposes was grown differently than the crop meant for consumption. Specific plots were laid out exclusively for ceremonial plantings and often occurred in places considered sacred. The first planting at each mesa was grown for the Niman ceremony. This ceremony is the conclusion of the many ceremonies performed throughout the year-long harvest cycle, and is a celebration of the summer solstice. It's the time when the katsinam (Hopi spirit messengers) return to the spirit world in the mountains around the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, Arizona. Corn, corn plants, and depictions of corn play an important role in these ceremonies.