It's harvest time at the native garden at Steam Pump Ranch, which is planted in a circular pattern and will serve as an educational tool for schoolchildren. The garden is part of restoration efforts at the ranch.

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The first Native American heritage garden planted in June at the historic Steam Pump Ranch in Oro Valley produced corn, squash and beans.

Few of the crops will be consumed. Rather, their seeds will be saved to plant another garden next year that will serve as an educational tool about traditional agriculture in the region.

The "three sisters" garden refers to the ancient Native American method of planting together the three mainstay crops, said Joyce Rychener, the lead Oro Valley Historical Society volunteer working on the project.

The idea is to teach children growing up with easy access to fast food how the area's early inhabitants grew and harvested fruits and vegetables, Rychener said.

It's also important for youngsters to know where their food comes from, she said.

"Most kids today are pretty much disconnected from that process," Rychener said recently as she snapped an ear of corn from its stalk.

The garden is part of the town's efforts to restore Steam Pump Ranch, a national historic site. The old stagecoach stop, which is spread over 15 acres on North Oracle Road, dates to the 1870s.

A sluggish economy has delayed work on the $8 million ranch restoration but the garden is a way to keep things moving, said Bill Adler, a longtime civic leader.

He donated $3,000 in start-up costs for the garden.

"I'm interested in helping Steam Pump Ranch become the educational center that we intended for it to become," Adler said. His hope is that the garden will inspire people to start their own at home.

The garden, which is the first of several planned for the ranch, is a window into the past, said Scott Nelson, special project coordinator for the town.

"We're losing all of our traditions," he said. "The idea is to preserve at least part of our heritage."

As in the old days, Rychener had counted on the monsoon for successful crops. But in this dryer-than-normal season, Rychener and other volunteers found they had to supplement water through various flood irrigation techniques.

All in all, Rychener said she considers the ranch's first garden a success. It not only yielded plenty of crops, but it also attracted to formerly barren land bees, hummingbirds, lizards and various other critters.

"This has restored their habitat," she said. "It's come back to life.