Big tree, many birds December 12, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

Audubon Christmas Birdwalk
Sun, Dec 21, 8am–noon
Instituto Allende (meet)
Ancha de San Antonio 20
100 pesos, free to members
152-2139

Audubon’s much-awaited “Christmas Birdwalk” is scheduled for the third Sunday of the month. Bob Graham, our resident winter expert, leads the walk in and around La Huerta, a village near Presa Allende famous for its baskets and for Sabino de la Huerta, a notable tree we’ll visit in the course of the walk.

After the December walk, La Huerta may be famous for its birds, too—at least in one select community of birders. Wayne Colony, who shot the luscious bird photographs in Wild and Wonderful, recommends it as an excellent birding spot.

The 19 participants in last December’s walk at the Botanical Gardens saw some 41 species. Many of the birds were very cooperative, sitting still long enough for us to get the scope on them, so that all got great views. We will hope to find just as many birds or more at La Huerta, and we can guarantee Bob will bring his very amazing ‘scope and tripod along again.

Transportation is key to our getting to this location, car pooling a must. Failing sufficient transportation, we will return instead to the Botanical Gardens as we can use taxis to get there.

Participants meet in front of Instituto Allende at 8am, as the trip will leave promptly at 8:15am. Please bring a hat and drinking water. Binoculars and bird books make sightings more interesting, but they are not necessary since others will have books and we will have a scope. The new Audubon Bird Guide also will be available for 50 pesos. Anyone willing to contribute transportation will be welcomed with great appreciation. People with questions may call Linda Whynman at 152-2139.

A taste of honey and other organics
By Holly Yasui

Tasting party
CEDESA
Tue, Dec 16, noon
El Charco del Ingenio

El Charco del Ingenio invites all visitors to the Botanical Garden to taste honey, nopal and other organic products from our region. These products are offered by CEDESA (Centro de Desarrollo Agropecuario), one of the first campesino organizations in Mexico to promote organic farming and eating locally.

CEDESA started producing honey in the seventies when the peso was drastically devaluated and low-income people were unable to afford the huge increase in food prices, especially of sugar. With their second honey harvest, CEDESA created a revolving loan fund with the newly organized Association of Beekeepers of Northern Guanajuato (ASANG), to help other campesinos start and maintain apiaries. Over the decades, ASANG and CEDESA have developed the Tierra Generosa project, which includes a broad range of organic products to affirm their goals of producing healthy, wholesome food, working together within a cooperative organization and protecting and defending our natural resources by recognizing the value of native plants such as the mesquite tree.

About half of the human diet is derived directly or indirectly from crops pollinated by bees, an essential part of an agriculture economy. Eating local honey can help prevent or mitigate seasonal allergies, following the naturopathic principle of "inoculating" the body with a small dosage of the "disease," since bees use the pollen from plants that may be causing the allergic reaction. Honey is also an effective remedy for sore throat and cough, since it has anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. For this reason it can also be used to help heal skin wounds. Most importantly, honey contains all the vitamins, minerals and enzymes found in its natural state, unlike refined white sugar.

The nopal cactus, which provides the basis of a number of CEDESA products sold at El Charco, grows throughout the country but especially abundantly in the dry central highlands. The fruits and pads have been used as food since pre-Hispanic times. Today, campesinos cultivate this native plant in "tunnels" in order to maximize their tenderness by protecting them from extreme heat or cold. The consumption of nopal reduces cholesterol and enhances the assimilation of nutrients necessary to regulate the levels of glucose in the blood, thereby helping to control diabetes. It also reduces plaque formation in the veins and arteries, improving circulation. All of this combines to clean the blood and kidneys. The naturally occurring calcium in nopal helps prevent osteoporosis, and its high content of fiber improves digestion.

Under the name of Tierra Generosa, campesino families of northern Guanajuato make and market a wide variety of nopal products, including pickles, jams, and liquors, as well as other seasonal preserves - xoconostle, guayaba, membrillo (quince) and ciruela (plum).

These preparations, along with medicinal bee products, pollen and propolis, will be available for tasting. In addition, traditional Mexican treats such as frosted nuts (in this case, honey-frosted sesame seeds, ajonjolí garapiñada), sweet-and-sour noparindo and spicy-sour chamoy paste can be savored on homemade organic bread, accompanied by a variety of fragrant teas now offered by El Charco cafeteria. Visitors are also invited to browse El Charco tienda for other interesting eco-friendly gift ideas, just in time for Christmas.


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