To receive   Tamandua's News free of charge
register here!

April - May 2010

Always happy to disseminate its values to an ever-increasing public, Fazenda Tamanduá recently received a 4^th grade class from the school “Colégio Geo”, in Patos.
They had all heard of the farm, which has been managed by Pierre Landolt since 1977, but few had a real notion of what went on there.It was very fruitful both for the visitors and for the people who received them, the concerns and expectations of the youngsters always coinciding with those of the older people!

Here’s the statement we received from the Geo class:

Fazenda Tamanduá / Geo Patos

During the month of April of the current year, we were extremely pleased to visit Fazenda Tamanduá, a huge biodynamic area located in the sertão of the State of Paraiba. Set in the semi-arid region, this area is regarded as part of Brazil’s problematic region.  

However, what we witnessed was something very different; the space contrasts with everything we find in the dry areas we usually visit. The children were fascinated with the enormous amount of mango trees, and even more, with the information that most of these mangoes would be exported. Some of the mango trees called one’s attention, because they were being grafted – in the pupils’ language, “dressed up for the carnival”. Another thing was the way the farm is worked so as not to waste raw materials, using the animal manure, vegetable waste, dried grass, fallen leaves – all this is very valuable.   

It was not possible to visit some of the farm’s areas, but we received some information about them: that the farm produces honey, pipes, an area dedicated to goat raising and another to cattle raising. We visited the latter and observed that the cattle herd is very attractive, the cattle strong and hardy, and once again, a contrast: the ribs of the cows were not visible, they were very different from the animals we have in “daddy’s field”, as one of the pupils said.

It was very opportune to call everyone’s attention to the huge size of the farm, as well as the preservation of the caatinga vegetation; the area in which it renews itself contributes to the idea of keeping the flame of the sustainability that we all dream of burning. It is possible to develop without destroying; the world needs to prioritize the idea of preservation, taking care of its native species, avoiding predatory hunting and fishing, destruction of springs and wasting water, and managing the soil correctly. In fact, we can observe all these actions on the farm.

We returned feeling sure that the visit was very fruitful for the students, teachers, coordinators and directors of Geo Patos. We are very grateful for the cordiality and ready attention we received from the employees of the different areas, and we would like to add that we now believe even more that our North-eastern region is viable, that sustainability is possible, and that growth in the North-east is just a matter of time: all that is required is investment and greater will on the part of politicians and entrepreneurs.   

Congratulations, Fazenda Tamanduá!

Researchers from UFCG and UEPB visit Fazenda Tamanduá

The researchers were received by Mr. Pierre Landolt, the owner of the farm. Among the various activities provided, one of the most important was the address given by Pierre Landolt on Fazenda Tamanduá’s biodynamic production and the market for these products, with emphasis on the potential and the challenges.  Later, Mr. Landolt and the technical professionals took the visitors to see the farm’s different production sectors.

On this occasion, Dr. Pedro Vieira spoke of the importance of the activities and research developed at the farm, which had already served as a basis for doctoral theses and dissertations for the Master’s degree in Natural Resources.

The opportunity was taken to discuss the possibility of research into using spirulina diluted in water as a foliar fertilizer. Spirulina is a blue-green alga, and among the various species of spirulina that exist, the most important are Spirulina maxima and Spirulina platensis. The latter has already been cultivated and studied at Fazenda Tamanduá for some years.

The researchers and students of UFCG and UEPB thanked their hosts for their welcome and stressed the importance of establishing partnerships between Fazenda Tamanduá and the two universities, in order to develop research into biodynamic activities.