The agricultural cycle in Mixtepec

In the area where Mixtepec Mixtec is spoken, the annual agricultural cycle comprises three seasons: the dry season, the rainy season and the cold season.

The dry season lasts from February to April. During these months the weather is hot and there are strong winds. People that have fields in a valley near a ravine or river begin to prepare the field in January and they plant corn in February.

The rainy season lasts from May to September. During these months it rains a lot, and as a result this is the season when many vegetables and edible herbs grow. During this season people can plant on the hillsides as well as in the valleys. Those who were able to plant early begin to harvest the ears of corn.

The cold season lasts from October to January. During these months it may occasionally rain a little bit, but the days are not so hot. Temperatures may go below freezing at night, and there will be frost in the morning. People harvest there corn during this time, as well as beans, tomatoes, tomatilloes, squash, chayotes and other vegetables.

—Gisela Beckmann and María M. Nieves