Wow! I will have to finish reading this article later. It brings back many memories, as my family and I LIVED in Ixmiquilpan for 8 1/2 years. I can see where this guy was standing, clearly, in my mind's eye. They do have some very rare beans pass through that market. The problem is that they only pass through from time to time. When I brought my family back from Mexico, in 2001, I had a couple quarts of rare beans, which I had never had time to grow out (and never did). Offered them through the Seed Savers Exchange, but I believe I had almost no takers.

Ixmi has LOTS of chile rayado in the market place, but NO SEEDS. At least, I looked for about 6 years, even on trips into the sierra. Finally, when visiting for a teaching stint nearby, one of my students brought me a sack of seed. I grow it every year now. If you ever purchase dried chiles, and want to assure that they last for a long time, freeze them for at least two days in a air tight container. This is a picture of downtown Ixmiquilpan, a beautiful, friendly community.

Just finished the article. It's good, and much more current about the social climate in Mexico than am I. I would say, however, that "Ixmiquilpan" doesn't mean "place where the pigweed cuts." It's translated "the place of the tender greens," as that area has lots of springs (hot ones, even) and the people from the surrounding desert were impressed with the abundance of greens, especially purslane and lambs quarters.