One of the many species in the SIS garden this year is Black Aztec Corn (Zea mays), an heirloom variety said to have been grown by Aztec farmers 2,000 years ago in Central Mexico. Our particular seed comes from Seed Savers Exchange, whose mission is to “conserve and promote America's culturally diverse but endangered garden and food crop heritage for future generations by collecting, growing, and sharing heirloom seeds and plants.” SSE has traced their seeds back to James J. H. Gregory who made the seed commercially available in the 1860s. Maize, a staple of Aztec cuisine along with beans and squash, was associated with the deity Centeotl, who some believe was originally the goddess of agriculture, Chicomecoatl.