 Agriculture also made up an important part of the Plymouth economy . The colonists adopted Native American agricultural practices and crops . They planted maize , squash , pumpkins , beans , and potatoes . Besides the crops themselves , the Pilgrims learned productive farming techniques from the Native Americans , such as proper crop rotation and the use of dead fish to fertilize the soil . In addition to these native crops , the colonists also successfully planted Old World crops such as turnips , carrots , peas , wheat , barley , and oats . 
