wendy devlin
Jan 28, 2007, 9:11 AM
Post #5 of 6
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Have spent much of my time in Mexico in the countryside, especially in pueblos with less than 3000 people. This is a little of what have noticed specifically in Colima and Jalisco.
Main point being, that although agriculture is still a primary activity in the countryside, the bulk of the food that people eat every day, is not necessarily grown in or near where they live/work.
The main exceptions to this seems to be fresh fruit, in season, largely from trees, limon, guava, mango etc. and freshly slaughtered meat, chicken, pork, beef etc. and maybe some eggs and dairy.(cheese)
The majority of people who live in these pueblitos once worked as campesinos.
Generally working as day-workers on plantations, in Colima, watermelons, corn, tamarindo etc. A generation or so back, many of these people also had their own ranchito, land where they also grew fruits, vegetables, livestock for themselves. A certain degree of food self-sufficiency.
Nowadays, more people rather hire out as obreros(workers) in construction, delivery, service industries etc. or buying low and selling higher, just about everything. Part of this is related to the steady flow of 'remittances' from relatives working NOB. Sometimes these particular pueblos seem home to mainly women, children and the elderly. There are of course still men about, but there seems a lot of movement, looking for work around other parts of Mexico, or illegal migration. It surprised me somewhat that so many of these men went north/south almost yearly, often getting back for Christmas and/or the summer fiesta. But there are, 'net-works' in place.
Working in the fields, seems to be thought by many now as what you do, if you can't make money doing anything else. In the past ten years, I hardly saw, anyone with anything resembling a garden where they grew their own fresh vegetables. Maybe some fruit trees, a few herbs but rows of vegetables, no.
So, (didn't think to ask about the sources) would surmise that most of the tomatoes, peppers, etc. would come from abastos or or other distributors. Although like mentioned above, someone might have access to a bulk supply of melons, limones, coconuts...from some source, perhaps local and set up shop, in a tianguis, out of the back of the truck etc.
We've had friends among construction jefes and many other walks of work, who always seemed to have their noses in the air, sniffing out the best sources of crops picked at peak perfection.
They seemed to be able to buy at a low price, the juiciest watermelons, sun-ripened pineapples, the cocos when the milk was just right etc. Women too, seem to often go to considerable lengths to find the best product for price.
later maybe will chat about meat, dairy, eggs etc.
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