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April-May, 1999

Vegetable Farming Near Guaymas

The state of Sonora (slightly larger than South Dakota) boasts that it is the agricultural state of Mexico. Irrigation methods have transformed arid areas around Hermosillo, Ciudad Obregon, and Navajoa into rich farmland. Much of the farmland in the U.S. has been over-farmed for so long that the soil is worn out. Here is virgin soil which poses its own problems, but a treat for the U.S. farmers here.
The warm sunny climate is suitable for raising cereal crops, cotton, and fruits and vegetables.


Many of the vegetables you find in your local supermarket in winter were likely grown in Sonora, the state in Mexico which is just south of Arizona.

 When we cross the U.S./ Mexican border, we pass a long line of Mexican trucks waiting to enter the U.S.

U.S. farmers are bringing techniques and methods which have generated much interest amongst the local Mexican farmers.

One U.S. farmer is using a drip irrigation system with the water line buried 2 inches below the top of the soil to minimize evaporation of the water.

Another is planting 4 rows of onions together and then an irrigation ditch. (See photo at the right.)		 onion field

workers in field


The crops require many workers to weed, maintain the fields, and harvest the crops. This is a common scene. Transportation from the local village to the farm is provided by the farmers. The workers ride in the back of a truck.
 The U.S. farmers have built a one-room school house and hired a teacher so the children can come to the farm with the parents and attend school while the parents work in the fields.

Field In the picture on the left, Bill, who is one of the farmers renting this farm and raising the onions, is explaining an aspect of farming to my husband, Les.

Salt contamination of the soil is one problem to overcome when farming in this area.		 The onion crop is timed so the onions will be ready for harvest after the winter stored onions in the states are gone and the new U.S. onions aren't ready.

The area in which the vegetables are packed for shipping to the U.S. looks as if it could be in the United States. sorting zucchini Zucchini are put into water for washing. Then they are put onto a conveyor belt (just in front of these two workers who are sorting the zucchini).
The number 1 vegetables (top grade) are shipped to the U.S. The stores here buy only the lower grade vegetables. zucchini sorting

beans Green beans are dipped out of the water and onto conveyor belts to be sorted by workers. Here the tubs of beans are being dumped into the tanks of water for washing.
{short description of image} After sorting, all the vegetables are weighed, packed in ice, and loaded into waiting semi-trailers. beans

Epilog: The bottom fell out of the white onion market and Bill couldn't afford to harvest his beautiful onions. Last I heard they were trying to cover their expenses with the 30 acres of red onions they'd planted. Ley, the grocery store similar to Safeway in the U.S. was selling white onions for 18 pesos a kilo. That's about 9 cents a pound. (Price as late as May 14th.)
They're preparing the fields for next year's crop.

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