Speaking to people who knew ancestors in Minais Gerais, Brazil? I'd like to start researching my family genealogy, but I don't have much information. I just know the name of my parents and grandparents and their home state, almost nothing apart from that. My (grand)parents are from the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. They lived much of their lives in the countryside. Is there value in me looking for and then speaking to people that knew my grandparents in their hometown?

Start by talking to every old person in your family. Write down everything they know. And talk to anyone who knew your grandparents. Pick a genealogy package and enter your family, and as much back history as you can. Record sources for everything you can, even if its just "Aunt Maria said grand-dad was born on May 15th".

Then look at the < for folks who were dead before about 1940. I have no idea how good their coverage of Brazil is, but they have a lot of stuff and its free.