Up on the hills of San Pedro Las Huertas, the largest village of Antigua Guatemala one finds fields of maize and other milpa crops. This maize field is on the path the climbs the skirts of Volcán de Agua through the cultivation fields peppered with avocado and nispero trees. About 500 meters up the hill … Read more
Within two weeks the harvest time will commence around Antigua Guatemala for corn. Normally, maize is harvested from the end of October through December depending on the milpa fields. Beans are harvested from November through December in most places in Guatemala. Who knows how much will be harvested this year since we experienced a severe … Read more
I enjoy talking to and interviewing the campesinos I encounter on my morning walks on the hills of the skirt of Volcán de Agua. In this instance, Don Vicente, 70, shared with me that plot he cultivates measures 9 “cuerdas”, 1 block equals 6 “cuerdas” and that he grows maize, beans, flowers, cilantro and fruits, … Read more
So far in these milpa fields I have found beans, squash, red onions, fruit trees, and flowers. However, as explained before, in a milpa field there a dozen crops at once: maize, avocados, multiple kinds of squash, chiles (hot pepper chilli), beans, tomatoes, tomatillos, camotes (sweet potatoes), jicama (a tuber also known as sengkwang, yam … Read more
According to Don Alejandro, campesinos walk about a mile or two each day around 6am to 7am to work on their milpas. They do this from April through December. If you have a mule or donkey, the loads are a little easier, but if you are not, you have to carry heave loads up and … Read more