The cooperative Kurate shares information about their history, their work, and their hopes for the future. Born in June of 2012 as the result of a workshop on cooperativism sponsored by the Center for Global Justice and funded by the Unitarian Universalist Community Church in New York City, this group of local farmers and professionals is dedicated to growing stevia, a natural, non-caloric sweetener and moringa, a tree whose leaves, stems and roofs are extremely nutritious and can be grown with less water than most plants. Stevia can be used instead of sugar; it can thus help reduce the epidemic of diabetes and obesity world-wide. Moringa can be eaten raw or cooked by humans and animals alike. As feed for livestock, it saves a huge amount of water over crops such as alfalfa; its nutritious properties can help solve the problems of malnutrition and disease caused by refined and processed food.
We will depart from San Miguel early in the morning to Patzcuaro, where we will spend three days. We will visit the most important buildings and churches in Patzcuaro and also visit a number of nearby indigenous villages: