For food, the villagers farmed - growing corn, beans, and squash. They also harvested many kinds of wild plants, berries, and nuts.

Hunting and trapping provided meat for protein. To learn which animals were most important in their diet, specialists in archaeo-zoology are currently analyzing animal bones we found while excavating refuse deposits.

Fishing was also important. The Hovey Lake village was probably established next to the lake for this reason, as well as for a supply of water and means of transportation.

Corn and other grains were ground in wooden mortars. Food was cooked over open fires in pots or on spits, roasted over coals, or baked in earth ovens dug into the ground.

Pits dug into the ground served to store corn and other foods for later use. Special storage buildings and spaces in houses were used for storage as well.