Bénédicte Desrus

Documentary Photographer + Photojournalist

www.benedictedesrus.com

Mestiza de Indias

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Workers María Lucia ...acute;n Requena (R) harvesting.

Workers María Lucia Cén Requena (L) and Teresa de Jesus Cén Requena (R) harvesting.

Gonzalo Samaranch, founder of M...jillo chili and garlic flowers.

Gonzalo Samaranch, founder of Mestiza de Indias (L) and his wife Martha Elena Chan Tuz (R) prepare handmade red corn tortillas with fire-roasted eggplants, chives, Guajillo chili and garlic flowers.

Worker Teresa de Jesus C&ea...ed winged beans for replanting.

Worker Teresa de Jesus Cén Requena collects dried winged beans for replanting.

A winged bean.

Worker Teresa de Jesus Cén Requena collects dried winged beans for replanting.

Workers Maria Alba De La Flor P... germination in the greenhouse.

Workers Maria Alba De La Flor Pech (L), María Lucia Cén Requena (C) and Teresa de Jesus Cén Requena (R) check the seed germination in the greenhouse.

Snow peas.

Worker Reyes Baltazar Cohuo Cah...d up the process of composting.

Worker Reyes Baltazar Cohuo Cahum(L) and founder Gonzalo Samaranch (R) mixing and shredding organic waste to speed up the process of composting.

Early stage compost.

Garlic and shallots being dried.

Portrait of Worker María Lucia Cén Requena.

Red Burgundy Okra Plant.

Workers José Ignacio...h Pech (R) mix bokashi compost.

Workers José Ignacio Canché Na (L) and Saturnino Vech Pech (R) mix bokashi compost.

Portrait of Worker Reyes Baltazar Cohuo Cahum.

West Indian gherkin cucumbers.

Portrait of Worker José Ignacio Canché Na.

Workers Saturnino Vech Pech (L)...zar Cohuo Cahum (R) harvesting.

Workers Saturnino Vech Pech (L) and Reyes Baltazar Cohuo Cahum (R) harvesting.

Kale.

Workers María Lucia ... Requena (R) harvesting Mizuna.

Workers María Lucia Cén Requena (L), Maria Alba De La Flor Pech (C) and Teresa de Jesus Cén Requena (R) harvesting Mizuna.

Worker Maria Alba De La Flor Pech harvesting.

Worker Teresa de Jesus Cén Requena plucks a jackfruit.

Worker Teresa de Jesus C&ea...bs a tree to harvest a soursop.

Worker Teresa de Jesus Cén Requena climbs a tree to harvest a soursop.

Worker Saturnino Vech Pech harvests Rampicante heirloom squash.

Worker Lydia Maria Chuc Ceme co...e red corn tortillas on a fire.

Worker Lydia Maria Chuc Ceme cooks handmade red corn tortillas on a fire.

Worker José Ignacio ... with Henequén rope.

Worker José Ignacio Canché Na creates a tomato trellis with Henequén rope.

Martha Elena Chan Tuz, co-owner...e Indias, picks garlic flowers.

Martha Elena Chan Tuz, co-owner of Mestiza de Indias, picks garlic flowers.

Handmade red corn tortillas wit...jillo chili and garlic flowers.

Handmade red corn tortillas with fire-roasted eggplants, chives, Guajillo chili and garlic flowers.

Workers Maria Alba De La Flor P...uena (R) harvest chrysanthemum.

Workers Maria Alba De La Flor Pech (L) and María Lucia Cén Requena (R) harvest chrysanthemum.

View of an elephant-ear tree.

Worker Teresa de Jesus Cén Requena resting.

Workers María Lucia ...he jungle to get to their work.

Workers María Lucia Cén Requena (L), Maria Alba De La Flor Pech (C) and Teresa de Jesus Cén Requena (R) walk 50 minuts each way through the jungle to get to their work.

Worker Teresa de Jesus C&ea... (L) after returning from work.

Worker Teresa de Jesus Cén Requena (R) portrayed with her mother-in-law (L) after returning from work.

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Thumbnail of Workers María Lucia C_eacute;n Requena (R) harvesting.

Thumbnail of Gonzalo Samaranch, founder of Me_ajillo chili and garlic flowers.

Thumbnail of Worker Teresa de Jesus C&eac_ied winged beans for replanting.

Thumbnail of Workers Maria Alba De La Flor Pe_d germination in the greenhouse.

Thumbnail of Worker Reyes Baltazar Cohuo Cahu_ed up the process of composting.

Thumbnail of Garlic and shallots being dried.

Thumbnail of Portrait of Worker María Lucia Cén Requena.

Thumbnail of Workers José Ignacio _ch Pech (R) mix bokashi compost.

Thumbnail of Portrait of Worker Reyes Baltazar Cohuo Cahum.

Thumbnail of West Indian gherkin cucumbers.

Thumbnail of Portrait of Worker José Ignacio Canché Na.

Thumbnail of Workers Saturnino Vech Pech (L) _azar Cohuo Cahum (R) harvesting.

Thumbnail of Workers María Lucia C_n Requena (R) harvesting Mizuna.

Thumbnail of Worker Maria Alba De La Flor Pech harvesting.

Thumbnail of Worker Teresa de Jesus Cén Requena plucks a jackfruit.

Thumbnail of Worker Teresa de Jesus C&eac_mbs a tree to harvest a soursop.

Thumbnail of Worker Saturnino Vech Pech harvests Rampicante heirloom squash.

Thumbnail of Worker Lydia Maria Chuc Ceme coo_de red corn tortillas on a fire.

Thumbnail of Worker José Ignacio C_s with Henequén rope.

Thumbnail of Martha Elena Chan Tuz, co-owner _de Indias, picks garlic flowers.

Thumbnail of Handmade red corn tortillas with_ajillo chili and garlic flowers.

Thumbnail of Workers Maria Alba De La Flor Pe_quena (R) harvest chrysanthemum.

Thumbnail of View of an elephant-ear tree.

Thumbnail of Worker Teresa de Jesus Cén Requena resting.

Thumbnail of Workers María Lucia C_the jungle to get to their work.

Thumbnail of Worker Teresa de Jesus C&eac_w (L) after returning from work.

Public Project

Mestiza de Indias

Copyright Bénédicte Desrus 2024

Updated Nov 2023

Location Yucatán, Mexico

Topics Spotlight

MESTIZA DE INDIAS

Mestizas de Indias is a 544-acre regenerative farm located in the middle of the Yucatán jungle in Mexico and founded by Spaniard Gonzalo Samaranch Granados in 2015. This agriculture project preserves Indigenous farming traditions and heirloom crops that are native to the region, while aiming to combat the harmful effects of Mexico’s agrochemical industry. It also offers the local Mayan community access to healthy food and much-needed jobs.

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