Her daughter was Persephone by Zeus. Persephone was abducted off by Hades while she and Demeter were gathering flowers in a meadow and brought her down with him to the underworld.

Hades offers Persephone the seeds of the pomegranate, which she eats, thus commiting her to Hades. Demeter let the earth grow barren in her grief. She refused to make the seeds grow, and the world was in a great famine.

Because of the famine the gods were suffering for the lack of offerings maade to them. Demeter continued to mourn her daughters absence. Because of Zeus' and Hermes' intervention, Hades agreed to let Persephone return her to her mother. Persephone was required to spend one third of every year with Hades. So when Persephone is in the land of the living her mother lets the crops grow.