Tis' the season....

You can always tell what fruit is in season by the copious displays at the market in nearby Etla.
Watermelon, oranges and papaya this week.

All nicely priced at about $2 US

And of course, everything else looked pretty good as well.

Plenty of temptations.

And fresh chicken.

We are so spoiled by all the goodness.

Chip, chip, chippin' away....

There are winter chores here or rather, dry season chores.  There's always work to do in the garden even though some of it may be simply envisioning the future.  So I've been spending time with these babies, a machete and a wood chipper.  I try to recycle all organic matter right back into the soil, but it needs moisture to break down.  I had a large compost pile.... note the past tense... some three years of accumulation.  It was a couple of meters tall and three meters wide and deep.  And in a mere seven days (whew) all of it went through the chipper and the resulting mulch is spread, in some places eight to ten inches deep. .  I'm hoping it will all break down and make a really nice soil when I add some of the hundreds of kilos of worm casings I have.  However, nothing will happen until it rains, maybe a month or two away... ojala!

Mezcaleros

A couple of portraits of mezcaleros.  First, from Palenque Mal de Amor, this gentleman shoveling out the steaming spent agave after the process is finished.  Of course, nothing ever goes to waste.  And then there's Faustino in his element.   

Smokin'..

Agave art

There are hundreds of kinds of agave,  Here, in Oaxaca there are 38 known, but there are more out there, undiscovered for now. 

They are amazing plants.  Water, sugar, mezcal, paper, cloth, needle and thread, all can come from the agave.  The flowers tell a story.

And as for the flowers, it's one and done.  It's all downhill for the plant after that.

Some can take up to twenty five years to flower.  And they make mezcal out of most of them.

Mezcal Maestro - Faustino Garcia Vasquez

It is always better to go straight to the source and the source in this case is Faustino Garcia Vasquez from Chichicapa.  His family has been making mezcal for many years and he and his son continue the tradition of producing some of the finest.  Consequently,  Faustino and his mezcal are getting quite famous and deservedly so.

His village is in the heart of mezcal land, between Mitla and Ocotlan. The countryside is filled with fields of agaves, all at various stages of growth.  Every time we go, we catch a different part of the process and this time was no different.  They were transferring the fermented agave fiber to the stills or distillation tanks.  A very condensed version of the process.  They start with green pinas...

That get baked in a covered pit for three days. They are quite sweet at this point, very sugary.

Then broken apart and ground into fibers under this horse-drawn stone.

Then into covered wooden vats, water added. 

Several days later, the fibrous agave is transferred to the still.  All the liquid from the vats as well.

Here, Faustino uses a paste made from agave, of course, to seal the copper hood.... nothing goes to waste.

The hood set in place.

Pipes attached to cooling tank  The finished mezcal condenses and drains into the high lit container

And finally, sealed with more agave paste and cloth.

We were lucky to see this select part of the process.  And so happy that this maestro of mezcal, Faustino Garcia Vasquez, is doing so well.  His mezcal is some of the very best.  Go back to the top and look at that guy's smile!

Happy Valentine's Day

Oh, Cupid... really?  Do you love me only for my money?

El Muro?

This beauty from out in Mezcalandia,. Yes, the whole world is watching and fortunately, people have a good grasp on reality and a good sense of humor.

More agave/mezcal coming....

Writing on the walls....

This style recently appeared in several places and I am wondering, is it a language or merely design?
It's interesting...

Of course, other wall art is also open to interpretation.

And others, they hold nothing back.

"Get out of the mines of death!"

Feria de Carrizo - San Juan Guelavia

Today was the second Sunday, the last, of the 8th Annual Feria de Carrizo in San Juan Guelavia.  This is always such a fun and interesting event, we ended up going both days.  Also, food! 

In addition to the amazing pieces made from carrizo, the place is filled with food, clothing, music, dance, all from one of the richest cultures in Oaxaca, the Tlacolula area, the Valles Centrales.  They can weave....

And they can dance!

This feria has really grown in popularity and attendance has grown dramatically, with thousands of people over the two Sundays.  San Juan Guelavia is one of the villages that realized just how unique it is and invested in making this feria something special and, no doubt, a huge economic boon to the village. 

It certainly appears like more artesanos are branching out, creating different things with carrizo.  Lots of beautiful pieces. 

And as always, the people are the best part of the event.  Lots of classic looks.

Or these ladies from San Marcos having a private conversation?

Did you miss it? 

There's always next year.  So worth it!

Searching for El Niño - Candelaria

Today, being candelaria or candlemas, is the day when people take their Niño Dios to church for a blessing.

Some look ready to go but others need a little touch-up.

People repair and dress up the Christ Child in special outfits and there are lots of specialty shops, like this one, that offer repairs and new clothing. 

New outfits and a little glue.... all set.

I was too early for the mass, but this little shop in the market in Etla was really crowded and busy. 

Everyone was so happy, workers and customers alike.  The Niños look as good as new and come in all shapes and sizes.  Another wonderful tradition.

After all the work and after church, tamales!