Ancestors of the Waccamaw Indian People were accomplished farmers, who occupied prime lands along the rivers and grew a variety of crops like corn, beans, and squash. These Three Sisters grew together. The corn grows tall and provides the trellis for beans; beans contribute nitrogen to the soil to fertilize the corn and squash; and squash plants cover the ground, to retain moisture and inhibit weeds.
Corn (Zea mays) was first domesticated by Native American people in Mesoamerica as early as 10,000 years ago, and was soon shared widely. The ancestors of the Waccamaw began growing corn 1,000 years ago.
Beans (Phaseolus spp.) consisted of five different species grown in North America in prehistoric times. The Waccamaw Indian People and their ancestors grew beans in their gardens as early as 700 years ago.
Squash (Curcurbita pepo) as early as 4,000 years ago, the ancestors of the Waccamaw Indian People may have been growing squashes for containers, as gourds. Later, squashes became an important food crop as well.