I always look for unique experiences during my travel.This time I wanted to visit North Mexico, my strategy was to ‘Travel like a local’.I would have chosen hotel or backpackers hostel, but I wanted to stay with a Mexican Family to learn Spanish and explore local areas with a localite. Therefore , I decided to look for woofing experiences in Mexico.After advice from my University friends, I decided to stay with a local family .I was planning to stay in Ciudad Juarez and wanted to visit Mexico by road via El Paso , Texas.I have heard bad things about Ciudad Jueraz, but visiting Juarez was actually turned out to be a tourist friendly stay. After a long research, I finally found a host who had a farm in Yepomera, Temosachic in Chihuahua, North Mexico. I called him and he agreed to take me to the farm for three nights with his family and explore the rural Mexico. I was unsure of many things , but when I crossed the border via El Paso . Ramiro Castneda along with his wife and kid, my host was already there at early morning. Yepomera is 6 hours from Ciudad Jueraz.Ramiro new english but his wife didn’t. I sat in his car and we started our journey.The best thing about going with a local host is to know so much about the history and culture of place. We stopped a roadside street foodcorner to but some burritos and they were very delicious with cheese, chilly and beans with a can of coke. The journey was pretty tiring and long, but reaching destination was the best ever experience.Ramiro had a farm house on the farm. It was a decent house which needed cleaning and some maintenance. I felt bit strange of house being too dusty.But it was winters and Ramiro stays in Cuidad Juarez and visits farm once in 2 months and the farming usually starts in summers. It was a cold chilly day.I know it is hard to believe but this time of month, North mexico gets really chilly and cold. Also, there were no central heating, so be prepared to wear lot of winter clothes.I already had my winter jacket and packets.So, I was all okay and prepared for Chihuahua’s weather.
The farmhouse has a decent neighborhood and it was surprising to see, all houses have a chihuahua dog .But I don’t know the reason behind it! We went to see the neighbors first and I was greeted with a huge hug from neighbors. Despite of being cultural and language barrier, I realized an affectionate welcome from the Mexican people.The neighbors organised some cleaners to clean Ramiro’s farmhouse. We had lunch at neighbors , that was best Mexican food I ate so far straight from Grandma’s kitchen. She cooked beans on tortillas with homemade chilly sauce and pickle. Mexican love to chat for long. The neighbors were trying to talk with me in Spanish, except few sentences I knew of the language. Ramiro took me the see the tout of the small town.The farms were really small there and the houses were small.The nearest grocery shop was 15 minutes walk or 5 minutes drive from the farm. Ramiro took me to the grocery shop along with his wife and some local friends to buy food for staying at farm.
Organic farming is part of Yepomera, every house has some hens, pigs and cows.People don’t use fertilizers or any kind of chemicals .The farmers use cowdung as a fertilizer and some people have built compost toilets to use them as an element to increase the fertility. Also, people use the fire place to cook food as well as to heat the house. Beans and corn are the main constituent in the kitchen along with cheese and eggs. I was eating beans in breakfast, lunch and dinner and never got bored of them.Mexican food is delightful, lot of flavour and spice.The houses in Yepomera were very colourful and pretty. Everyhouse has a different design. If you knock at someone’s house, Mexicans will still welcome you warmly despite you being the stranger. My stay at farm was very unique and timings of eating breakfast, lunch and dinner are very contrary to Western countries.The breakfast starts at 10 am during holiday , lunch at 2 or 3 pm and dinner at 8,9 or 10 pm sometimes. People love to chat and share stories. My stay at Yepomera was very memorable and different.And if you look woofing at Ramiro’s organic farm, feel free to contact me and will let you know more details about the farm.
I still feel amazed by the dirt touching my face , being close to nature in the middle of nowhere and I am taking great memories of staying with beautiful people for next travel destination.
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