| www.PlanetaVerdeMarAzul.org www.Green Planet Blue Sea.com The Official Website for Maya Neem Farms, Yucatan, Mexico A Model Neem Plantation in Progress for Profitable, Integrated, Sustainable and Ecologically Balanced Rural Development, Renewable Land, Sea and Water Use, and Resource Conservation |
| Tropical Sheep, Yucatan, Mexico Proyecto Ovino-Forestal, Maya Neem Farms Vegetarian Friendly Page & Site |
| Click on any photo to enlarge |
| To all of our friends and clients. Whether you are a meat-eater or a vegan vegetarian, this page and in fact our entire site applies to you. We will leave it to you to decide or be or adopt the orientation that you feel best suits your personal beliefs, cultural background, economic strategy, your health, that of your family, and of course very personal decisions of conscience. In this site, we will present a variety of points of view and from these, if you have not already made up your mind, you may find helpful information to assist you as you consider your options. As discussed elsewhere in greater detail on our site, at Maya Neem Farms, our main activity will be the planting of medicinal Neem Trees from which we will harvest all manner of organic and medicinal products and eventually, a certain percentage of tropical, hardwood lumber with the intention of our being economically independent in a sustainable and on-going fashion while also reducing pressure to cut and therefore adversely affect our dwindling, existing natural forests, upon which our global biosphere...and we and future generations... are so critically dependent. For our vegetarian friends, clients and investors, raising and employing tropical sheep can be a very efficient and cost effective, increasingly profitable, way to maintain the grounds below your trees, and/or other areas where you will grow crops, free from underbrush and over-growth which in the Yucatán especially, quickly and depending upon seasons, dominates all other plants, trees, crops and land it is permitted free growth on. The traditional means of dealing with this issue for humans also wanting to occupy and earn a living from the land was and continues to be a seasonal slash and burn strategy which of course, besides being dangerous, annually releases untold additional tons of CO2 and other Green House Gases into the environment. The alternative technique of grazing sheep is used in reforestation projects of course but also, by forward thinking farmers in citrus groves as well, although the trees need to be mature and tall enough when introducing the sheep that they are only able to reach the bottom-most leaves. The same is true in the case of the Neem trees which means that the Neems need to be at least the height typically reached by month 8 from seed. Since Neem is a parasite prophylactic and treatment, and immune system builder, the leaves that the sheep eat will in turn maintain or improve their general health as well as protect them from parasites (as well as bacterial, viral, and fungal infections) common to the species. In terms of the trees´ health, our experience has been that once the trees reach 1.2 meters, the sheep pay them little notice except for the occasional "nibble" as long as sufficient additional pasture is available. Synergy at work. An additional benefit in terms of the presence of the sheep is that they keep the bottom 1.2 - 1.5 meters of trunks free of sprouting branches which will later create knots in the trunk wood; not a good thing in the first 2.5 - 4.0 meters of trunk if one of your eventual goals is harvesting of tropical hardwood lumber. It may already be obvious but whatever the sheep do in terms of cleaning and grounds maintenance is one less duty to be performed by employees thus not only reducing substantially your costs in terms of labor but also eliminating the need to use noxious and contaminating...as well as expensive...herbicides to do the job that the sheep do naturally while also fertilizing the ground organically. FYI, When we harvest Neem Lumber we will "Thin" approximately 40% or 400 - 500 of the original 1200 trees to be planted per hectare, leaving 700-800 maturing trees to continue living, growing and giving products for generations to come. The Neem typically lives from 200 - 250 years! |
| The Sheep Industry is a growing and profitable trend in Mexico According to recent government statistics, 68% of the sheep consumed as meat in Mexico are imported indicating that there is a much higher (and growing) domestic demand than current production can satisfy. We are located in what was formerly the most productive cattle ranching area of the Yucatán peninsula. More recently, the raising of sheep is a more common and growing trend with local ranchers in agreement and indeed reporting to us directly that "Sheep are the "ganado" (cattle) of the future".... Sheep cost less to buy and raise, reproduce much faster and in greater numbers at birth on average and are ready for market in 1/4 to 1/3 of the time. As noted above, they have multiple uses and in turn do less damage to the natural or commercial farm/ranch environment Sheep also occupy or need far less space per animal for grazing and therefore do not necessitate cutting of forests and indeed, as we have seen above, aid in the process of forest maintenance including the process and pursuit of commercially viable reforestation. Methane gas. One of the big problems, environmentally, with herd animals is the amount of methane gas they produce. We are still looking into this issue as cattle are often cited as being huge producers of methane as well as responsible for the need to clear ever larger areas of forest and habitat to afford them pasture area so that the rancher can increase or maintain his margin profit. We cannot say definitively if 10 sheep are just as "bad" as one cow or bull but will look into and address this issue as soon as possible. What we can say now is that construction of facilities for sheep vs cattle cost 33% to 40% less. Their feed cost is less and, as noted above they are market ready much faster. For our purposes, the fact that they can not only live with but support the growth of our reforestation projects while lowering our overhead dramatically is a prime and indisputable plus. For those seeking or needing to make an income from raising sheep, the option is there and will be supported by the presence and availability of the Neem trees and their products. Local ranchers are already spraying cattle as well as sheep with home-made, anti-parasite, tick repelling liquid made from something as simple as a hand full of Neem leaves left in 5 gallons of water for 3-4 days. The leaves are then strained off and spread around the base of plants as a fertilizer and pesticide. The spray is poured into a garden sprayer and applied to the animals (depending upon season) periodically. These same pesticides/insecticides are probably more potent if made directly from Neem oil but meantime when that oil is available on the farm or ranch (year 3-4 from seed), the spray from the leaves seems to be doing a great job. Also, the leaves are the preferred and certainly less expensive means of mixing anti-parasite, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, immune boosting Neem into your animal´s feed. Speaking of Neem as a food supplement and not just a wonderful medicinal plant and disease prophylactic, you may also be interested to know that Neem leaves contain 15% protein, 50% Carbohydrates, and a long list of other health promoting trace minerals and amino acids which contribute significantly to your animals´ health and growth! Sheep, by the way, are generally considered more vulnerable to health issues that cattle may not be. We believe and are supported by several knowledgeable veterinarians that Neem may be the organic, low to no cost "miracle drug" to level the playing field, and then some, between sheep and other ranch/farm animals. Naturally, the Neem will also be beneficial to other animals but we will cover that issue on other pages. |
| Maya Neem Beginnings |
| Client´s Farm, in nearby Sucila |
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