Meet the 3 Sisters

The 3 Sisters are three Ojibwe Pony mares who arrived at our neighbour, Aurora Farms, in 2017.  They were renamed during a special naming ceremony led by Mike Pierre who gave them the Ojibwe names Mandamin (corn), Mashkodesimin (beans), and Okosimaan (squash) to represent the traditional agriculture of the Anishinaabe people of the Red River Valley and beyond.

The 3 Sisters came to Sagehill in the fall of 2024 to help us expand the Spirit Horse Project. They are here to help us share the valuable teachings of horses, including cooperation, compassion, community, communication, and leadership, with others. Our goal is to contribute to the preservation of this Indigenous breed by supporting rebreeding efforts. By including these mares in the breeding program, we aim to foster the continued growth of the Ojibwe Pony herd across North America. 

In a number of Indigenous communities, corn, squash and bean are called the "Three Sisters."

When planted side by side, these three crops help each other during growth, resulting in better yields at harvest. The Three Sisters crop model, were once widely used by a number of First Nations in the Great Lakes –St. Lawrence Lowlands region. By the time Europeans reached the shores of the Americas, the Indigenous peoples of the northern continent had developed food systems, placing corn in small hills, planting beans around them and interspersing squash throughout of the field. Beans naturally absorb nitrogen from the air and convert it to nitrates, fertilizing the soil for the corn and squash. In return, they are supported by winding around the corn stalks. The squash leaves provide ground cover between the corn and beans, preventing weeds from taking over the field.
​These three plants thrive together better than when they are planted alone.

Notes from: Agriculture Canada and USDA National Agricultural Library