Hacienda Corralitos : Quezada Ranch : Rancho El Norte : Tutuaca : Chihuahua, Mexico
Morning starts in the dark with coffee and frijoles rolled in tortillas. Saddles are thrown into the back of the pickups and horse trailers. Heading into the sun,the drive is bright, to the east through Mennonite wheat and corn fields. The green disappears into desert mesquite. Earth and sky blend. Saddles are cinched and the cowboys fade into the distance. Later, one hears the braying of gathered cattle moving to the corrals. In two days 250 calves will be branded, inoculated and castrated. Mamas cows cry for their calves. They’ll soon be set free to roam in the grasslands. The Wallace men, are third generation ranchers and farmers. They are international businessmen. Their office is the Chihuahuan desert. The image is iconic, timeless, classic. mythic and contemporary. It exemplifies family values and a relationship to the land steeped in the rich heritage of Mexican history. It resonates deep seated traditional values, hard work, freedom and the traditions passed from father to sons. It has real guts, dirt and blood.
