It is harvest season, and the jimadores, traditional agave harvesters, arrive at the fields of this municipality in Guanajuato to harvest the pinas (
It is harvest season, and the jimadores, traditional agave harvesters, arrive at the fields of this municipality in Guanajuato to harvest the pinas (agave hearts) that will give life to a spirit that has conquered the world
Romita/Gto News
The jimadores rise early to be in the fields with the first light of day. In the agave fields of Romita, the harvest starts even before sunrise.
Expert harvesters work through the rows of blue agave in local plots, extracting the heavy hearts that will be transported for processing at the historic distilleries of neighboring Jalisco.
Agave cultivated in Romita reaches the most demanding palates across the globe, packaged under the top premium brands exported from Mexico.
“We have been out here since early,” says one worker who finishes harvesting his first row of plants before 7 am.
“You are the best jimador here,” I remark. “No, we are all equal. It is just that those guys keep talking, but everyone here is good,” he replies with a touched sense of humility, clearly aware he surpassed his colleagues by nearly 30 meters and roughly 30 plants.
The boom of blue agave has fundamentally reshaped the rolling hills surrounding Romita’s municipal seat. Today, traveling these country roads offers striking views of blue-green fields, alongside signage detailing the famous commercial brands destined to receive the day’s harvest.
“We came from Atotonilco, Jalisco, for this agave that people will drink all over the world,” the harvesters notes, listing several top distilleries that supply both the domestic market and foreign exports.
Romita remains a critical supply hub for national tequileras that supply a growing global demand for Mexico’s iconic national drink.
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