The
Farm
Located 120 Km northwest of the
small city of Aquidauana, in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Barranco
Alto Farm lies at the Rio Negro (Black River) boundary, in the southern
area of the Pantanal, known as Nhecolândia.
Founded at the beginning of the
twentieth century, Barranco Alto farm (formerly known as Barranco Branco
farm) is considered to be one of the oldest in
this region. The farming
community there is probably not much different today than it was when
established by the first nucleus of civilization of the Rio Negro.
Fulfilling
a childhood dream, Jorge Schweizer acquired Barranco Alto Farm in the 1980´s
and began directing all his efforts towards nature conservation. Among his
many projects, Jorge co-founded the “Society for the Defense of the
Pantanal” (Sodepan)
and, after eight years of hard research, he wrote a
book about the giant otters of the Pantanal.
Following
in Jorge Schweizer´s pioneering
footsteps, we will continue to preserve the ecology of the area, whilst
increasing regional development in a
non-intrusive, eco-friendly manner.
The
Cattle
The
white cattle bred on the farm for organic meat production are called Nelore.
Originally from India, they can be found all over Brazil, where they have
adapted very well.
We
have kept local
traditions of handling the cattle herds, such as using the horn to round
up the cattle.
The
Community
Traditionally,
the people from the Pantanal are of a nomadic nature. They are
constantly moving from one farm to another, staying no longer than one or
two years in any one place.
With
the towns getting larger and farms growing, the indigenous people have
found jobs and their living conditions have improved.
Due to the better living conditions found
on Barranco Alto Farm, a few families have settled down there, putting
down roots and growing with the community.
Come
and stay with us!
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