It began with first rains in the last quarter of the year. Farmers prepared the field for sowing: they plowed the land using a yoke of oxen. Days later, they made furrows in ground and deposited the seeds.
With germination of seeds, time of three “benefits” began. First was “weeding,” in which land was cleared of “weeds” using hoes and shovels, leaving some as fertilizer. Second was “Tiro de huacho,” which occurred a month later and involved retracing furrows in the field. Finally, another month later, “hilling” was carried out: piling soil around plant stems to provide support and nutrients. Corn harvest began in June.
