The Incans were the first people to grow one of the most used vegetable today, the potato.  They grew Indian corn, sweet potatoes, and cassava in the mountainous areas. In the tropical areas they grew guavas and cactus. Steep slopes made it really hard to farm. In order to grow crops on steep slopes they had to build terraces. Terraces were made by making high stone walls and then piling dirt inside of the walls. They created reservoirs to hold the rain water during times of drought. The Incas  had stone irrigation channels from the mountain streams and rivers. These were used during times when they could not get rain and needed water. Also the soil was fertilized by seabird droppings. The Incas grew avocadoes, peppers, tomatoes, chocolate, and coca (cocaine). They also grew beans, squash, quinoa, sweet potatoes, peanuts, and cotton. In the higher terraces the Inca grew potatoes. And in the lower terraces the Inca grew corn. How do we know that?

Researchers have found vast proportions of remains of corn in the higher parts of the Incan farming areas. This makes us believe that corn was a main factor of the Incan civilizations becoming large and sophisticated. The Incans also had a part in improving wild plants, enabling us to use them for cooking and decorations. Wild and domestic animals were very important to the Incan people. They killed wildfowl like ducks and birds for their meat. They also killed guinea pigs to eat.

 They also used Llamas for meat, but only during times of desperation. The llama was a very important to the Incans because they supplied the people with things they needed to create their civilization. Llamas were used for wool for clothes, hides for cloth and for the bottom of the sleighs they used to move. They provided tallow for candles, and dried dung for the fires. The llamas were used for carrying supplies, to ride, and to pull carts. They were the main way of transportation besides walking. Llamas were used to carry the produces from city to city to be sold. Llamas were very important during that time and are still today.

Chrisp, Peter. The Incas . New York : Thomson Learning , 1994. N. pag. Print.

Ebsco. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2010. <http://school.ebonline.com/‌all/‌comptons/‌article?tocId=9275040>.

Inca Agriculture. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2010. <http://web.ebscohost.com/‌src/‌detail?vid=4&hid=102&sid=6319ae04-f9ff-429a-8e62-a2e894255168%40sessionmgr111&bdata=JnNpdGU9c3JjLWxpdmU%3d#db=nfh&AN=2W62W63922382462>.

Inca Agriculture. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2010. <http://school.ebonline.com/‌all/‌comptons/‌article-198108?query=llamas&ct=null>.

Inca Llama. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2010. <http://school.ebonline.com/‌all/‌comptons/‌article-285520?query=llamas%20during%20the%20inca&ct>.

Wood, Tim. The Incas. New York: Penguin Books Inc., 1996. N. pag. Print.