Tending the Harvest of Thought – Jefferson’s Delightful Culture

May’s warmer days and lengthening light bring new energy to the Revolutionary Era Garden at the Transylvania Heritage Museum. Many of our perennials have returned from last year, with the Cherokee Medicine Wheel plantings in the center making the strongest impression. The Provision Garden boasts a nice stand of onions, and the peas are beginning to climb their simple trellis. Last month’s plantings of lettuce, kale, and cabbage are thriving, thanks to the dedicated volunteers who kept them watered through these dry weeks.

In preparation for our May program, we have built the mound for the Three Sisters and planted Cherokee White Eagle Corn—the first variety deposited in the Cherokee Nation Seed Bank. This beautiful blue-and-white corn with a striking red cob features kernels that many people see as the image of a white eagle.

Thomas Jefferson once remarked: “No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden.” An avid collector and experimenter with Native American crops, he sought seeds and varieties from indigenous communities across the continent. Jefferson also embraced companion planting and intercropping practices common in those traditions. His records reveal a holistic, observational approach that prized crop associations, rotation, and regenerative methods.
This philosophy harmonizes beautifully with the ancient Native American Three Sisters method.

In this companion planting system, tall corn provides a trellis for beans, which fix nitrogen to nourish the soil. Squash spreads below, shading weeds and retaining moisture. Together, the three create a resilient, self-sustaining ecosystem—much like the collaboration of Indigenous knowledge and European traditions that shaped early American agriculture.

Join Vanessa Cole on May 16th at noon to learn more about Jefferson’s gardening methods and the genius of the Three Sisters. Hear fascinating stories, sing some songs, and enjoy an interactive session for all ages. Please let us know in advance if you’re bringing a group so we can prepare accordingly.

May reminds us that growth, partnership, and abundance flourish when different elements work together in harmony, and that thoughtful cultivation yields more than crops. If you haven’t visited our garden yet, May is the perfect time to do so!

Where do you go to cultivate your thoughts?