Seed Selection in the Milpa

Walking through the milpa to select corn seeds

Seed Selection

We arrived to a very rural community in the Lacandona jungle of Chiapas, Mexico where we found a group of people working together on a construction. They were preparing for a wedding the next day. Everyone was joining together to help build a covering for the event. The community was so remote and has received so few international visitors that they asked me to write down my name and contact information to keep a control of who is coming in.

The agroecological extension worker introduced me to the community leaders and we went to one of their home's to have lunch-- rice, beans, scrambled eggs, hot tortillas, coffee and bananas. Sometimes the women eat in the kitchen or off to the side, but the extension worker with me always asks them to sit with us. At meal time, the women can be too hospitable and shy with us since we are guests, but we want them to know that we are there to chat and share with them! They are always laughing and giggling as they chat to each other in their local language. I always wonder what they are laughing so much about! There are a lot of strong bonds between grandmothers, daughter in laws, mothers, daughters and neighbors. Since the extended families live and cook together, it seems like these relationships are almost more prevalent than their relationships with husbands and partners. I like seeing how they enjoy each other's company in all the day to day tasks.

Today we visited the milpa with a group of mostly women and a few men from the community to learn about seed selection. We walked up the mountainside to the integrated cornfield or milpa of one of the participants. As we stood in the cornfield among tall corn stalks far above our heads full of ears of corn, we started our lesson. To begin, the agroecological extension worker I was traveling with asked the community how they collect their seeds. Many said that they collect seeds back in their homes after already threshing or removing the dried corn kernels off the cob. They pick the kernels that look the best. The agroecological extension worker offered some tips and ideas on how to select seeds based on the plant and the terrain rather than just the kernels.

The extension worker explained that by selecting the seeds based on the plants and the terrain, they can develop stronger genetic resistance and characteristics for their future harvests. To teach this practice, he asked us each to find a corn stalk that we would select seeds from and to be ready to explain why! We each wandered off, looking for the best corn plant we could. When we found it, we each marked it with something to remember where it was. Then we walked around together to see who selected which plant and why. Most participants chose the biggest corn plants they could find that had the most ears of corn, the strongest stalks to resist wind and that weren't too tall (which makes them more difficult to harvest from). One woman selected a corn plant with purple leaves because she said that she likes the taste of her tamales when they are wrapped in purple corn leaves. It was interesting to hear their ideas and explanations!

Then lastly, the agroecological extension worker showed us the corn plant that he had selected, which was smaller than the rest. When we arrived, everyone laughed and jokingly told him that he chose a very sad plant. After the jokes and good-hearted ridicule, the extension worker got a chance to defend himself. He explained that in addition to looking at the plant itself, it's also important to look at the terrain it's growing in. Finding a plant that has been able to grow in the driest or poorest soil condition is also an indicator of good, resilient genetics. Most plants will do well in good soil and with plentiful water, but not all will do well in dry and poor conditions so those are good drought-resistant genetics we want to pass on!

This reminded me of a time I was working in the garden at Rancho Lum Ha and I saw a lettuce that grew straight out of a tiny hole in the rock wall with barely any soil, if any. My friend and agroecologist, Chelo said, "We need to save those seeds!" A good agroecologist like Chelo is always looking for the best seeds to save.

The resilient lettuce plant!

Seed saving has many benefits. It is part of a cultural heritage, its genetic diversity creates more resilient food systems and it makes farmers less dependent on external inputs (like buying new seeds each year). For the next community visit, the participants will have selected and marked the plants they will select next year's seeds from. By that time they will be dried out and ready to de-grain the kernels and save for the next planting. Participants mentioned that they remember their parents and grandparents selecting seeds in this way and they are looking forward to returning to it themselves.