Aztec farmers living in different parts of Mesoamerica used different methods to farm their land. Farmers in the rain forests grew maize, beans and pumpkins in fields they cleared by using a technique called slash and burn. To do this the Aztec farmers cut down thick, tangled bushes and vines and leave the tallest trees standing. They then burned down all of the chopped down bushes and planted seeds in the ashes. The problem with this though was the soil was only fertile for a few years.
Aztecs were well known because of their invention of the chinampas. The chinampas were like floating gardens made by sinking layers of twigs and branches under the surface of the lake and weighting them down with stones, so it was pretty easy to make. These were very productive and grew lots of food for the Aztecs to harvest and eat. On the chinampas Aztec farmers grew crops like avocados, squash, corn (mainly), beans, chilli peppers, flowers and tomatoes.
Aztec farmers also used a digging stick for farming. This was used for planting seeds and hoeing weeds. the soil was very dry and if the May's rain failed or frosts came early, a whole years worth of crops would be lost.
Food and Drink
Aztecs ate twice a day, their main meal around noon and a small snack in the evening. Their main food source was maize, a type of corn, but they did eat things like tomatoes, avocados, potatoes, peanuts and of course chocolate. Cactus leaves were also boiled and eaten (with the spines removed). Aztecs hunted and fished as well, but meat and fish were luxuries. Deer, rabbits, iguana, fish, shrimp, turkey and dog. The Aztecs also ate fish eggs and large amounts of algae that were collected from the surfaces of the Texcoco lake water.
The chocolate they ate was a special food or drink and was reserved for warriors and nobles. A drink of cacao mixed with ground maize was believed to provide stamina and was used in sacred rituals.
One drink the Aztecs had was cactus wine or can be called octli. This was the sweet, sticky sap from the maguey cactus which was collected in leather flasks then left to ferment (rot) in open troughs. It then quickly turns into a strong alcoholic drink. This drink was also strictly for noblemen and warriors. Anyone who got drunk from this drink would be immediately put to death.
