Merida Day 4 Sisal Plantation 7/5

Today we visited a Sisal plantation that also had several cenotes, one of which we got the chance to swim in. At one time the Sisal industry made this part of Mexico a very prosperous place. The fiber from the Sisal plant is very strong. It was very interesting to learn the process of how sisal is harvested and processed into the fiber. The plant takes 7 years to grow big enough to harvest leaves from. Once the plant is 7 years old 10 leaves are cut from it twice a year for approximately 25 years. Around 25 years the plant shoots up a large stock from the middle which signals that the plant is going to die. Sisal plants grow very well in the infertile limestone soil of the Yucatan. They do not require any special care or fertilization.

The plants which Sisal is harvested from.

They comb the fibers to spin it into twine and then make the twine into ropes.

Bundles of leaves are put on this conveyer belt and brought up to the machine that strips the outer husk

Preparing the leaves to be stripped and the fiber gathered.

The wet Sisal fiber.

Bales of Sisel fiber.

This machine takes the dried Sisel and puts into a bale.

This machine takes the processed Sisal fiber and makes it into burlap that can be used for carpet backing or burlap bags.

This machine turns the processed Sisal fibers into ropes.

This picture reminds me of a Degio Rivera Painting.