By 9:30 this morning, we were on our way to Hacienda Sotuta de Peón. We arrived just as the 10:00 tour was getting started. Built at the end of the 19th century, Sotuta de Peón is today one of few haciendas still growing agave and producing henequen fibers. The estate is now in the hands of its second owner, a German business man, who has renovated the main house and production facilities. The tour took us through the house, decorated in European antiques, and through the production houses, to show us how rope fibers are made. We visited a cenote on the property, a natural underground pool, before going to the on site restaurant for lunch. It was a fascinating morning. We learned that henequen was primarily produced in the Yucatan from 1850-1950 and discontinued after nylon was introduced. Henequen is particularly well suited to the Yucatan climate and growing in limestone fields. The henequen hacienda owners were some of the wealthiest people in all of Mexico during the heyday of henequen production.
