forest, restored by Carlos Caballero, since the sixties. Il bosco, Carlos Caballero riforestato a partire da anni Sessanta Dagli.
Seen Project San Isidro, and farmland in the project.
Vista del Proyecto delle earth coltivate San Isidro.
Carlos Cabellero Ò reforestation work in 1958. Carlos Caballero
ha iniziato di lavoro it riforestazione nel 1958.
Today, his daughter Alejandra, who took over.
Oggi, sua figlia Aljandra continued with the project.
Paco Gomez, compagnon of Alejandra, au milieu des plantations de tomates.
Paco Gomez, Alejandra's husband, in the greenhouse for tomatoes in half.
Four en land. furnace floor.
Atelier de charpente. Atelier building with wood.
Atelier de charpente. Atelier building with wood.
The ecole cree par le projet. Magdalena Cervantes School, funded through the project.
Cours de culture à l'école. now working in the garden at the school.
Cours de culture à l'école. now working in the garden at the school.
Atelier de toit en paille. Atelier thatched roof.
Atelier de toit en paille. Atelier thatched roof.
Ana Tonatiuh et sont volontaires au sein du projet. Ana and Tonatiuh, volunteers of the project.
La ferme du projet.
the ranch.
La ferme du projet. the ranch.
Le lait Organic cows from the farm every morning at the art school. It Mucchi del latte delle bio rancho trasportato tutte le mattina alla scuola.
In the foreground: the fight against erosion thanks to In primo piano: lotta contro the erosione all'applicazione grazie di paglia.
The mill village Tlaxco. The falegnameria di Tlaxco.
Land Restoration: these canyons were created in 80 years due to deforestation of the area. del Restauro Suolo Quest canyons if soo format in soli 80 years, due to deforestation of the area.
The "Proyecto San Isidro" is neither an ecological community, or a trial of ecocostruzione and is not a rancho where we practice organic agriculture, ecological nor an alternative school, or a reforestation project. It 's all this at the same time and something more: a proposal full of life, respect for nature, and the next person.
Alejandra Gómez Caballero and her husband Francisco (Pancho) are respectively "The Board and the Executive Committee, in the words of Pancho, of this project is deeply rooted in the local context, the rural area near Tlaxco (a colonial country in the state of Tlaxcala, two hours from DF). The family of Alejandra, in fact, is installed in the area for several generations; was his father, Carlos Caballero, that undertaken in the late '50s, a personal struggle to reforest the area that had seen him become, at the time of his childhood, from pine and oak forest soil in arid semi-desert . The model that inspired him at that time was cutting edge: it was the reconstruction of the soil according to the principles of biodynamics, or through the use of organic compounds and chemicals in those days were regarded as the solution to any problem for cultivation. His teacher was the agronomist and researcher micorbiologo Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, who worked directly alongside Rudolf Steiner, father of anthroposophy (holistic philosophical perspective, which considers the indispensable man in connection with the universe ). Carlos was formed in his laboratory in New York, and return to his native land began the adventure of reforestation which occupied all his energies to the age of 70 years when he decided to devote all'antropolgia and history, and leave completely in the hands of his sons the defense of the forest.
Alejandra says she grew up in an environment where the preservation of the forest and the environment occupied a central place in his daily life as in his education, is both a way to discover herself in her relationship with the environment. And it is this view of life which seeks to share and pass through the Proyecto San Isidro, with a more pronounced concern towards self-sufficiency and sustainability, in view of energy and environmental crisis that is affecting our planet.
The project is organized on different levels and then, in an attempt to show that a life so full alternative to the predominantly-urban consumer is possible, starting from food. Part of the land that occupies the project (some owned by Alessandra, usofrutto others) are intended for intensive organic farming: different varieties of plants are grown in small quantities, without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers, but organic compounds . This excellent FERTILIZER comes from the decomposition of human excreta (recovered through the use of dry bath) and animals (mainly cattle), and waste organic. A small part of the land is occupied by a few farm animals, reared only water-based manure and two cows, two calves, a dozen goats, some chickens and four turkeys ... just the essentials to keep a dispozione fresh milk, cheese, eggs and, occasionally, meat.
But power is not everything: "There is no life without the forest," as Carlos, and then a large part of the project land and energy are devoted to reconstruction of the eroded soil around the rancho, in view of the second step: the reforestation. As long as the soil is not recovers its organic properties, in fact, the trees can not return to growth: it would be like trying to plant them in stone. Here too, the model that you inhale Pancho and Alejandra is of biodynamics, already tested successfully by Carlos. The technique consists, in broad terms, in disturbing the surface layer of soil erosion, create artificial terraces to stop erosion by water and place the bundles of straw, which act as FERTILIZER, and add organic compost.
If the message you want to convey is that life is self-sufficient and sustainable as possible, as long as you preserve the trees and nature in general, Part of the mission is Alejandra forward to new generations, who represent the only hope for the future of our abused planet. The means to achieve this (at least locally, that is the only one on which man has an opportunity for concrete action) is the "Escuela". Founded in 1973 by Alessandra's mother, Magdalena Cervantes, this elementary school is inspired by Steiner's Anthroposophical doctrine (which considers the human being involved in three basic relationships: with himself, with others and with the average environment), but does not follow any pattern directly. The principles are shot and edited by Steiner through daily practice, in comparison with a local precise, namely that of a rural and extremely poor, to which the educational mission of the school was run when the started business. Closed in 1988 for family matters, the school is reopened at the initiative of Alejandra and her sister Lourdes in 1996. Today, with assets of 70 students, all from the same Cologne Iturbide (no more than very poor but always popular), the school is ever more entrenched in the local context.
The Proyecto San Isidro is related to the school in several ways: firstly because it is his only source of funding, paid by students belonging to the line. Secondly, by organizing various activities with children, such as visits to the wood every week, workshops on medicinal herbs and creating natural beauty products (shampoo, soap, cream ...) or even terracotta sculptures etc. .
As for the reforestation project and that of organic farming, we had the opportunity to visit the school in person, led by a volunteer working on the project for 8 months, Tonatiuh, but above all from the same school, real professional guides. During the first two hours of the morning, we were accompanied in the visit of the facilities, explaining no economy of detail the type of construction technique used for classrooms, the operation of the dry bath, and the resulting compost. We were led into the garden (which they themselves cultivate and care), through medicinal plants and legumes, and in the cafeteria, where all meals are made with organic products, and milk that you drink is delivered hot every morning directly from the ranch. The type of education that focuses on environmental education is taught, through which promueve the integral development of human beings.
An important part of the project, even as a form of financing is the "rancho experimental El Pardo, training and testing center in eco-construction techniques. The courses are organized that are of different type and subject, but mainly include the construction of ecological and permaculture. These days the course was on the green roof, and boarded the various techniques we have seen the construction of a wooden structure, a thatched roof and a vaulted brick and plaster. The reception was incredible, a beautiful house dedicated to hosting the participants in the courses, where we have been fed on organic products rancho , cooked with skill by Doña Adela. The morning was devoted to the practice and the afternoon discussions, video shows on habitat environmental, energy crisis etc., or visits to eco-friendly homes.
The next challenge of this project, so she can continue calmly, is to develop the promotional aspect: competition emerged in recent times following the fashion of ecology, carried out by structures with more disposable income, is Proyecto San Isidro is that it faces the need to "get publicity," look negligible when it was the first structure to give courses in permaculture, 20 years ago.
So, taking advantage of this small independent space (what a nice feeling!) make a small announcement to anyone interested in making available its expertise in communications and Internet experience and training, in a beautiful place and with people who are open and exceptional. The project seeks, in fact, a volunteer in this field, which offers super super food and accommodation as well as the opportunity to participate in courses and activities of the center. If anyone is interested in experience in organic agriculture, ecological building, pedagogy experimental open or reforestation (and obviously motivated to go to Mexico!), This could be a wonderful occasion. The link of the site, interested parties and / or curious is:
http://www.proyectosanisidro.com.mx/
What we got to do advertising? No! And 'that when a project is so good, the least we can do is contribute to the promotion so that it can continue ... Fortunately we are not faithful to the abstraction academic researchers, on the contrary, we try to participate in the exchange, activate a feedback accenttano real people to welcome us, in short, to "do something" ... always in our small ....
