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While our work is almost done, it’s in a state of limbo as our clients and their advisors work to develop their business model. Unfortunately, Hurricane Dean had a devastating impact on the region and wiped out most of the milpas, as well as the tourist site of Majahual, where Don Gualberto’s daughters work. Not only do they have to look for new jobs somewhere on the coast, but we have lost one of the major points of sale we were hoping to take advantage of.

A few weeks after the hurricane, all of the oranges dropped off the trees. This was an apparent aftermath of the hurricane. Alex Racelis communicated with the cooperative members and assured them that we’d still be here. And while the oranges might have fallen, the label doesn’t go bad. As Alex said, that’s the life of the campesino in Mexico – living in a hurricane zone with no agricultural insurance. They are hoping for a new crop of oranges in January 2008. We’ll hope for the best.