Agave Farm in Tequila
	Tequila, Mexico Latitude: 18º 43' 60 N Longitude: 97º 4' 0W
The Drive Around the World team will visit one of the largest agave farms in Mexico. There are an estimated 100 million Agave tequilana plants in Tequila Mexico. The approximately 40,000 hectares of cultivated agaves produce no less than 50 million liters of tequila each year. About 40% of this quantity is exported. The agave plants are started from seed or from onion size cuttings. When the plants are mature, 8 to 12 years later, their branches are cut off, leaving the cabeza (or "pineapple"), which is the part used for juice extraction. Cabezas are cut into pieces, and then baked in stone furnaces for one to three days so that their starch is converted into sugar. From the ovens, the now golden brown cabezas are shredded and placed in mills which extract the juices or "mosto". An equal amount of water is added and the mixture is allowed to ferment for several days. The spirit's taste depends on the length of fermentation, on whether or not juice is fermented with the fibrous "bagasse" (the residue left behind after the juice is extracted), and on the design of the still. Tequila, Jalisco Mexico on 11/22/2003 What we learned from the visit: Tequila traces its origins from a drink which the indigenous people used to drink called Mescal. Mescal is created from the fermented juice of an agave plant, but not the blue agave. Another difference between Mescal and Tequila is the fact that tequila is distilled after the juice of the blue agave has been fermented. Tequila production, which was regulated by the Spanish crown, officially began in Tequila in the late 18th century. More...

Questions:

Name:	Sally
School:	Vejar
Grade:	5
Asked... Question: In the dessart area how survie? Answer: How does what survive in the desert?

Name:	Kimberly Liao
School:	Vejar
Grade:	5
Asked... Question: How are you liking your trip right now? Answer: We are having a lot of fun. See all the different sights and meeting new people. It is also fun speaking Spanish.

Name:	eric veenstra
School:	University of Groningen in Holland
Grade:	Geography
Asked... Question: I would like to know some more about the influence of tequila on the people of Mexico and about the spatial distribution of the agave farms in Mexico Thanks!!!!!! Answer: The influences of tequila upon the Mexican people will very regionally. Agave plants are generally grown in rows with plant spacing about 40cm and row spacing of about one meter.

Name:	Chia-Yu C
School:	Upland High School
Grade:	9th
Asked... Question: 1- Is the guacamole in Guatemala better than the guacamole in California? 2- During the drive each day, what if your bum starts hurting? 3- What's the weirdest ting you have seen since the beginning of the trip? Answer: I think that Guacamole is better in California. If it pains you to ride in the car you just have to suck it up until we get to that days destination.

Name:	Derrick Reeves
School:	Upland High School
Grade:	Ninth
Asked... Question: Does everybody on the team get along and if you had to either live the rest of your life traveling or just a regular life what would it be? Is La Libertad, El Salvador a great country and is it beautiful and are the prices to living there low or high? Would you guys ever consider driving a big camper or a big traveling bus around the world? Please email me back at chris_hauk@upland.12,CA.US Answer: That is a tough question. I would want some combination of the two, not either or. El Salvador was a beautiful country and the cost of living was fairly low. I wouldn't want to drive anything bigger than a Land Rover, as the road are narrow and crowded in many places.

Name:	Nick Wilson
School:	Upland High School
Grade:	9
Asked... Question: How long did it take to bribe the cop? Do you wear your seatbelts when you drive? How often do you change your clothes, and where do you wash them? Chris_hauk@upland.k12.CA.US Answer: We always wear seatbelts, it is a company rule and a generally good idea. We change our cloths everyday, there are plenty of laundry mats along the way.

Name:	Julia M
School:	Upland High School
Grade:	9th
Asked... Question: 1.) do you research the countries and locations that you are traveling to before you get there so that you know what to expect? 2.) what is the estimated time it will take to travel your route around the world? 3.) how much money do you hope to raise for Parkinson's Disease? 4.) what are your personal goals of money that you hope this expedition will raise for Parkinson's Disease? please e-mail me back at this address: chris_hauk@upland.k12.ca.us Answer: We do as much research as time permits before going to a country. It is important for us to know road conditions, where we are going, and any travel advisories that may be in effect. We hope to complete our journey in nine months. We hope to raise over one million dollars for Parkinson's disease.

Name:	franchesca hathaway
School:	upland high
Grade:	9th
Asked... Question: what place are looking forward to seeing? chris_hauk@upland.k12.ca.us Answer: I looking forward the adventure and ruggedness of Northern Russia

Name:	Marlys Carusone
School:
Grade:	Retired teacher
Asked... Question: Can you tell a little history on the making of tequila? Answer: Tequila is derived from and indigenous drink called mescal. For a complete answer read about our site visit above.

Name:	Javier S.
School:	Redwood High School
Grade:	10
Asked... Question: Please post pictures of the farm. Thanks. Answer: Pictures are now included in the above article about Tequila