Milpa Relationalities: Attending to Soil and Caring for Others

The milpa is a millennia-old sustainable farming practice and way of life. Often seen as a method for growing corn, beans, and squash (the three sisters), its significance goes far beyond agriculture. Milpa is a biological, ecological, and cultural approach to living well with human and non-human worlds that co-create place. While many have become disconnected from soil, others maintain deep ties. Soil (re)mediation is not just about restoring human-soil relations—it involves protecting communities that have practiced milpa traditions for generations. The relational and worldbuilding aspects of milpa demand safeguarding the people and places rooted in milpa farming and diets. This study examines the relationships that sustain milpas, proposing a conceptual framework for milpa research that moves beyond soil profiles and yield outcomes.