A cyclical farming system historically practiced in Mesoamerica, typically involving a rotation of clearing land, planting mixed crops, and allowing the land to lie fallow. A milpa usually centers on the simultaneous cultivation of maize, beans, and squash. This polyculture approach maximizes land use, maintains soil fertility, and reduces pest pressure compared to monocropping.
Heard on the job
The farmers in the valley still manage a milpa system, letting the forest reclaim plots for a decade before clearing them again.