During the winter, the ground is soaked with moisture. The planter will dig with a planting stick down to where the water has settled, and drop the seed in where enough moisture exists to make germination possible. Once Hopi corn sprouts, it has deep, well established roots. When the rains come, the runoff will spread fertile topsoil without disturbing the plants. Ideally, a farmer would maintain a surplus of corn to last two years.
Families maintain a storeroom where they keep corn that has been dried in the sun.
In order to be stored effectively, the corn must be absolutely dry. Other storage techniques involve dry sand dunes. Post-contact, apples were grown and stored in sand dunes, as well as watermelons. As the ground gets cold, it acts as a refrigerator. Hopi exchange tends to be based on social duty and etiquette.