We saw a corn-ucopia of farms in Guanajuato!

Sorry we haven´t posted in so long! We´ve had a very busy week. We arrived in Acambaro, where Tere´s cousin Ricardo picked us up and took us to the town of Obrajuelo, where we stayed for the next week. He also introduced us to Octavio, the farmers´ representative in the community. While in Obrajuelo, we stayed with Ricardo´s brother, who works for Corona (and is wary of competition) and his very exuberant and unique wife, Beatriz. That night we drove five hours for a communion party that was long over, but we were rewarded with some fine Mole... mm.




Oh wait! We forgot to mention our day in the city... we spent the day seeing art and losing a flipflop (and buying new ones). This is Nora in the Museum of Modern Art. Lots of Mexican artists, including Juan O´Goreman.





Sunday we started the day with a tour of the corn fields and then to our first community event - a cattle branding and vaccination rodeo that the whole town comes out for every few months. Men had lasso in one hand, beer in the other, and cigarette in mouth.

We thought we got tan that day, but it was really just a layer of dust kicked up by the running cattle. Afterwards we went to a picnic on the river, which was kitchen included; ie they brought a fugon ((basically a stove), and we ate and napped by the river. Afterwards, we went horseback riding!! Nora´s dreams were fulfilled and our groins ached for days. Our ride included a tour of the cow and horse graveyard. And we learned to gallop! At the end of the day, we were dropped off at our doorstep on horseback, which is not an uncommon site in Obrajuelo.



This is Ruben and his horse! Monday, we shadowed Ruben bright and early, while he plowed the field old school style - with a yunta, an animal, instead of a tractor. In his interview, he talked about how kids often learn to farm from when theyre little, but fewer seem to be wanting to farm nowadays.





We spent the rest of the day with the super fast talker, Gerardo (above), who enabled awkward conversations with three other farmers. He was really interesting to talk to because he both sells seeds and is a farmer himself. He talked about the growing use of hybrid seeds and yellow corn, but Mexicans apparently are still very attached to eating white corn. Everyone has been really positive about the hybrid seeds, which was somewhat of a surprise to us.





We spent Tuesday with Alejandro at his biggish corn farm and cow village outside of Acambaro. Alejandro grows all of the corn that he feeds to his cows, which he milks (with machines) twice a day, at which point he gives the milk to his brother who makes CHEESE!!! But who´s excited? We each at about half a wheel of queso fresco and queso oaxaca, made from milk milked that morning.

During our farm time with Alejandro, we also learned how to inseminate a cow, where we can buy bull semen... from a catalogue called Semex, which lists the statistics and names of the different bulls. Not as yummy as the cheese. Why dont they have such a catalogue for humans?




That night, we were invited to a delicious dinner at his parents´ house, full of different things made from corn! In the above picture, there are tamales dulces, atole (sp?) - a drink made of corn meal and cocoa, tostadas, and please note the cheese in the back, which also originates from corn (via cow feed)!! Ricardo came and we talked politics and Mexican phone service, Telmex, where Ricardo works.





Wednesday, we spent more time with Octavio - interview and photos. We also made good friends with his family, who practically force fed us. Eat, eat, eat. It was muy rica, though. At the end of our stay, some family members gave us sparkly, fun decorated notebooks and pens with our names on them!




That night, we hiked up to Santa Cruz with a beautiful view of the town, and an interesting cross. Kate learned that they perform crucifiction reenactments on their Saints Day with that cross.



Thursday morning, we got a tour of a farm that uses well water irrigation but sanz pipes. The above picture is Alejandro turning on the well to fill up the pool, which filter out to the corn fields after 20 minutes.





This last picture is Kate and Ricardo enjoying corn and talking shop. We each had two cobs and a small Corona! Que bueno!