MA...W.EAT MARKET
STOER ISAW
vq axs a ..s... F
%IT.E HOUSEHOLD e F
pATT! C.f ,k to
SWINEA
ZZ -1 I I I L.A. 201 C-. 95 "'
CROPS C-.... 400 C .
i +IN
Figure 2.8. Family living quarters and animal keeping facil- ANIMALS
ilities on farm in western highlands of Guatemala .. 1. ,0O
(See farmstead and fruit in Figure 2.7) .deducting all costs. On the farmer's own land, he produces 75 ..
percent of the maize, beans, and fava, 80 percent of the _-._____ .
wheat, and 63 percent of the potatoes. Only 30 percent of the
forest and grasslands are owned by him. On the land surrounding -I
the house, including some forest land, a portion of all the crops cultivated are represented. The farmstead (Figure 2.8) contains H"l IN
several sheds for livestock and for forage and wood storage (both firewood and lumber). One bedroom of the house doubles as a weaving room for making sweaters, and another bedroom doubles as a carpentry shop.
The distribution of labor, sale of products, purchases and sources of food for the Guatemala highland farm are shown in Figure 2.9. The farmer works 75 percent of the time on the farm and 25 percent off the farm. His wife works half time on the Figure 2.9. Distribution of labor, income (sales of products or
farm and half time off the farm. This latter situation is also off-farm labor), and purchases from exogenous
not very typical of the region. Of the seven children, two work sources for small crop/livestock farm in western
off the farm full time and are not counted in the farm picture, highlands of Guatemala (Numbers are percent of
although they do consume eggs and send some money home. The total of that item
other five, who are in school, work on weekends making sweaters and furniture. percent is sold. Small amoUnts of whey are sold and consumed,
About 80 percent of the labor for the crops comes from off but most is used to feed the pigs (60 percent) and the dogs (35
the farm. Of the family labor, most of it (43 percent) is used percent). All the cream removed from the milk is consumed in the
in the various activities within the household, including gath- household.
ering firewood, about 20 percent is expended on animals, and There is usually one sow that has a litter of six to eight
12 percent on the crops. Excluding the two children who work pigs at approximately six-month intervals. Two of the pigs are
full time off the farm, about 25 percent of the family labor is kept on the farm for fattening, while the rest are sold in the
used off the farm. market or to other farmers at the time of weaning. The only meat
The family at present has three cows, of which one or two produced for the household from two pigs is 2 to 3 kg each six
are in production at 6ne time. A small proportion of the milk is months when the fat pigs are sold and butchered. This amount
sold, but most of it comes into the household, where 10 percent represents 3 percent of the total pork produced on the farm and
is consumed fresh and the rest is used to make cheese and whey. about 10 percent of the pork meat consumed by the family.
Of the cheese, 20 percent is consumed in the household and 80 The family maintains both laying hens and young chickens.
48 49