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The Man who talked to Cows! |
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Many people watched the film “The Horse Whisperer”, starring
Robert Redford; here, at Fazenda Tamanduá, we had “The Man who
Talked to Cows”!
He is Raimundo Vigolvino Nonato, nicknamed ‘Seu Galego’, who is
going to retire and leave Fazenda Tamanduá.
Galego, who is Severino’s brother, started working with us in
1990.
Here he met Alan the vet, who had recently graduated.
The beginning of their relationship was a little tense, each one
possessing a great deal of knowledge - one practical and the
other more theoretical - and cultural shocks did happen.
But very soon they set up a close collaboration, which was one
of the most productive for the farm and the well-being of the
herd. The biodynamic cows became definitively happy! |
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With a humble attitude and within the biodynamic vision under which
he graduated, Alan decided to listen to Seu Galego and take
advantage of the fantastic amount of empirical knowledge he has. It
was a success! |
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We set up our phyto-therapeutic pharmacy, restoring the
veterinarian pharmaceutics of the sertão, based on
plants. We managed the pastures better.
But Galego’s great trump-card was his exceptional
relationship was his herd: in addition to knowing the 200
cows individually, he knew the genealogy of each one by
heart, besides their milk producing characteristics, vices
and qualities. With some of them, he had a really friendly
relationship – with Marionete, for example.
Handling the cattle calmly, without shouting at or hitting
them, he is leaving behind a tranquil herd that trusts
humans and is admired by every visitor.
After all, cattle mirror the cowboy who looks after them! A
gentle cowboy: tame cattle! A wild cowboy: wild cattle!
He is leaving three sons at Fazenda Tamanduá: Maciel, a
cowboy, Neto and Raimundinho, tractor drivers; and three
daughters, Margarete, Marta and Márcia.
A page in the history of Fazenda Tamanduá has been turned! |
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"Seu" Galego |
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Course on the Quality Mechanism for Organic
Compliance |
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From May 4 to 8, 2009, COAGRE – Coordenação Agroecológica/DF
(Agro-ecological Coordination of the Federal District) and
SFA – Federal Agricultural Superintendency in Paraíba,
together with the other partners in Organic Agriculture,
held a Course on the Quality Mechanism for Organic
Compliance, with the participation of representatives of the
following North-Eastern Superintendencies: Ceará, Rio Grande
do Norte, Alagoas, Bahia, Piauí, Paraíba, Pernambuco, as
well as that of Santa Catarina.
The course consisted of theoretical classes and workshops,
with field visits to the agro-ecological and biodynamic
production units, where the inspectors had the opportunity
to view and evaluate the real situation of the organic
agricultural production systems in the North-East – more
specifically, Paraíba – composed mostly of Family Farming
Associations responsible for agro-ecological markets, in
addition to larger enterprises such as Fazenda Tamanduá.
Fazenda Tamanduá stands out for its efficiency and quality
in producing and processing biodynamic agricultural
products, with a permanent concern for environmental
preservation and the economic sustainability of the
biodynamic agribusiness, as well as a social concern in
relation to its staff.
Virginio Carneiro da Silva
Coordinator CPOrg/PB |
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