Our journey as the CREA group continued through the sugarcane lands of northern Oaxaca, near Tierra Blanca, where we arrived at Granja Nut and Rancho San Ricardo, two inspiring examples of what’s possible when producers and industry leaders commit wholeheartedly to regenerative practices.
At Granja Nut, the site of the Las Margaritas sugar cane refinery, the story is one of forward-thinking transformation. For years, this refinery has dedicated a substantial portion of its profits to reducing its reliance on agrochemicals, restoring degraded soils, and exploring regenerative production methods. The result? A flourishing ecosystem that includes not only sugar cane fields but also bamboo workshops, a biofertilizer factory, grazing paddocks, and a thriving dairy and kitchen producing organic products from the land.
Pablo Ruiz and Elfego Flores greeted us with warm smiles and a delicious home-cooked meal, setting the stage for Pablo’s captivating presentation on landscape-scale regeneration. He took us on a mental tour of the land, carefully explaining the principles behind P.A. Yeoman's Keyline Scale of Permanence, a cornerstone of regenerative land management.
Yeoman’s system is a framework that helps land managers prioritize interventions, starting with the most permanent features, such as climate and topography, down to more manageable elements like soil health, water, and infrastructure. This approach ensures that every decision made on the land is rooted in the long-term stability of the ecosystem.
Pablo showed us how identifying key factors like contour, water flow, and erosion patterns are essential for hydrological regeneration, essentially ensuring water stays where it’s needed most. These principles were applied at Rancho San Ricardo, where drone and LiDAR technology have been game changers. By creating detailed aerial maps and water flow simulations, they’ve been able to track the land’s transformation over more than a decade. These technologies allow for precise monitoring of watershed health, vegetative restoration, and carbon sequestration in soils, as thriving plant life increases organic matter in the soil, locking away carbon that would otherwise contribute to climate change.
Pablo also stressed the importance of the Vetiver system, a highly versatile tool for drought resilience and erosion control. Vetiver, with its deep root systems, stabilizes the soil, prevents landslides, and captures moisture, an essential resource in drought-prone regions like this. It became clear to us that these Vetiver-planted areas were the most resilient parts of the landscape, and Pablo noted they’d need even more in the future to ensure the land’s ongoing recovery.
The next day, we ventured to Rancho San Ricardo, and what we saw was nothing short of remarkable. The landscape was a living example of contour mob grazing and agroforestry in perfect harmony. Mangoes, pineapples, bamboo, cassava, dragonfruit, and hardwood trees, all grown on keyline contours showcased the biodiversity that fuels the farm’s resilience. Diversity, after all, is the key to resilience in agroecological systems.
By cultivating a wide variety of species, the farm not only improves soil health but also creates a self-sustaining ecosystem capable of withstanding pests, diseases, and the extreme weather events that are becoming more common.
We were particularly struck by the catchment ponds surrounded by Vetiver grass, which prevented sediment from silting the water. These ponds, combined with water flow simulations, allowed the ranch to capture and store precious rainfall, mitigating the impact of dry seasons. As the heavens opened with a much-needed downpour, we found shelter in one of the ranch’s eco-homes, made entirely of structural bamboo harvested on-site. These moments, sheltered from the rain, eating freshly fallen mangoes, reminded us of the beauty and simplicity that natural abundance can provide.
The following morning, the students rose before dawn, eager to get their hands on an experience that felt worlds away from their usual routines, they milked the cows by hand. It was heartwarming to watch them grab the cow’s teats and make it happen! In an age of microchips and doom scrolling, it’s these simple, tactile moments that remind us of how much we take for granted and the effort it takes to provide the basics of everyday life.
The milk from these cows is used to produce various value added dairy products like cheese, cream, yogurt, and sauces on site.
Next, we toured the rotational grazing paddocks, a larger-scale operation than what we’d seen before, but with the same regenerative principles in play. Then, it was time for the hands-on portion of our visit the biofertilizer factory.
Biofertilizers are a critical component of regenerative agriculture, playing a vital role in rebuilding soil health. Unlike synthetic fertilizers, which can strip the soil of nutrients and harm the delicate microbial life within, biofertilizers work with nature to enhance soil fertility. Made from organic materials like fresh cow manure, molasses, yeasts, and minerals.
These fertilizers are packed with beneficial microorganisms that jump-start the nutrient cycling process. A healthy soil microbiome is essential for nutrient cycling, as it breaks down organic matter, unlocks minerals, and helps plants access vital nutrients, ensuring long-term soil fertility.
As Elfego explained, weaning land off of industrial agrochemicals is no small feat, it’s a process that requires patience, perseverance, and dedication. It can take years to reverse the damage done by “chemical farm drugs,” but with the right biofertilizer brews and liquid organic inoculants, the land can heal. Our students took part in creating one such brew, an eye-opening experience involving hard work and, yes, a fair amount of manure. But despite the heat and persistent bug bites, spirits remained high, and the students raved about the fun of getting their hands dirty, quite literally, in the work of soil restoration.
As our time at Rancho San Ricardo came to a close, we were left in awe of the transformation that can occur when industrial-scale producers prioritize ecological balance. The work being done here is nothing short of revolutionary, providing a model for how regenerative agriculture can restore not only the land but also the communities and economies that depend on it. It’s this kind of commitment that will be necessary to make a regional and global impact, restoring the ecological and social equilibrium that industrial agriculture so often upends.
For anyone interested in the intersection of agriculture, social justice, and environmental sustainability, I highly recommend Raj Patel’s “A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things”. It provides critical insights into the ways in which our global food systems have been shaped, and how they can be transformed for a more just and regenerative future.
Onward to the Mountains of Huatusco, Veracruz, where new lessons and landscapes await.
This is a 4 part series
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