RVA News 2019 - We Garden Farm - Food Sovereignty

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ANOTHER KIND OF NEWSPAPER BY RICHMOND VALE ACADEMY // APRIL 2019 EDITION

news eco actors creative community

If you do something good, you may never be in the newspaper. Now it’s time to change! Let’s share stories from our local heroes that all do their part in making their community and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines a better, healthier and more sustainable place.

future farmers healthy heroes grow your own movement

Through the eyes of our local heroes

future Luke Punnett BY // SARAH TENNSTEDT, LISA SCHMIDT, TEREZA BERK, MARIE COUVREUR, SARA CHIPPERTON, LUISE MÜCKSCHEL

Luke Punnett is Saint Vincent’s very first Permaculture Instructor. He got introduced to the principles of Permaculture as a way of organic farming, but he soon got inspired by the ethics and teachings of caring for the Earth as well as the people.

By studying ecological, sustainable farming teachings from people from Brazil, Japan and Austria he built up a deep understanding of how the connection of the people and the earth as well as networks and patterns in nature provide a guideline to grow food in a successful, sustainable way.

Luke has taken up the mission to respect and teach the principles of Permaculture to live a self-sustainable life with his wife Alexandra and their three children. Asked about what he thinks makes up a good life his answer is simple: stay positive. Whatever life throws at you, try to see the good, stay open to learn and be creative to deal with life’s challenges with unique solutions. In today’s consumer society, Luke Punnett prides himself in being a producer instead.

GREEN FAMILY Luke Punnett, his wife Alexandra and their three children River, Lily and Benjamin Sky lead a lifestyle that might seem peculiar to some: their sustainable life is based on the principles of Permaculture, a way of living and farming that is focused on the observation of and adaptation to natural processes and ecosystems. But what exactly does a lifestyle like this look like?

First and foremost, the farm garden provides daily food for the Punnett family, yielding a wide variety of fruit and vegetables for a well-rounded, balanced and healthy diet.

The farm also serves as a natural playground for the children and furthermore, is an environment that acts as basis for their education. In order to really live sustainably, Luke and Alexandra make an active effort to reduce their behaviour of consumption.

They applied this when building their home, using old telephone masts as struts and other reused materials such as galvanize for the roof and some lumber.

Additionally, local materials from the immediate surrounding were used, such as wood from Breadfruit and Almond trees. The Punnetts’ vision of a completely self-sustainable home includes a biogas station, solar panels and biodiesel to be independent of grid electricity and fossil fuels as well as rainwater tanks and a compost toilet so as not to rely on public water. For two days every week, the whole family stays at Richmond Vale Academy, where Luke teaches the principles of Permaculture to the academy’s students, and helps them apply these to develop the school’s garden and fruit forest. This way, the family spends the majority of their time together in close contact with nature, which is what truly gives them their energy, joy and love. Despite their particular lifestyle, Luke, Alexandra and their kids live happily and fulfilled. But how and where do they live, and how do they make ends meet?

THE FARM Chatoyer Gardens, in addition to being an organic farm, it is an ecological farm. Ecological farms are not only 100% organic, they are sustainable too. Operated by Luke and his family, friends and volunteers, Chatoyer Gardens, ecological farm is a 17-acre piece of land situated in Maloney, Vermont where Luke can really play with the Permaculture Principles. After having to move from their previous farm, which they established and run successfully over a period of five years, two years ago Luke began working on the road to Maloney. He simultaneously started to design and implement water works and access paths on the land. The property was overgrown by elephant grass, and he had to start with clearing areas to create areas to build a garden, water management structures and buildings.

Luke’s ultimate goal with this property is to build a family home, an abundant self-generating garden, as well as a Permaculture community.

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EACH WEEK THE CUSTOMERS RECEIVE A VARIETY OF WHAT THE EARTH HAS GROWN

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Using sustainable processes, the development of the farm is slow, but nevertheless in a good stage: so far, a small house that provides shelter and storage room for tools has been built, and a seed nursery to grow seedlings for the established farm garden is also finished.

Because the property is located on the hillside of a valley that experiences very heavy rainfalls all year, a sophisticated water management system is the top priority for the farm. Permaculture water management catches rainwater in well-designed swales to redirect the water over the property, slowing it down and allowing it to infiltrate the soil. This way, it can feed the groundwater table instead of causing erosion. On Luke’s farmland, a network of swales catch and coordinate rainwater over the whole area. In the case of heavy rainfalls, flooding of the property is avoided by a pond that catches water that excesses the capacity of the swales, creating a wet area perfectly suited to grow moisture-loving callaloo greens.

This way, a problem is not only solved, but even turned into a benefit for the land - showing how we can live in true harmony with nature.

SAVING THE WORLD, ONE BOX AT A TIME Every week, the family dedicates their Friday morning to prepare their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) ecological produce subscription boxes. What are they about? Basically, the Chatoyer Gardens sells boxes filled to the brim with a mix of organically grown vegetables, fruit, herbs, honey and yoghurt made from fresh, grass-fed cows milk.

Following Permaculture concepts, the garden provides many different kinds of crops all the time, so each week the customers receive a variety of what the earth has grown. Two years ago, Chatoyer Gardens was started at its current location from scratch and is therefore still at a baby stage, limiting the supply of crops and thus, the number of boxes the family can provide. Previously, on a 1/4 acre, at the first ecological farm, they fed themselves and approximately 15 other families depending on the time of the year, with an ongoing waiting list. As the current garden matures and is extended, the stuards of Chatoyer Gardens aim to refocus on their ecological produce boxes as one of their main sources of income.

However, Alexandra and Luke are set on adapting the growth of their box business to the pace and scale of their garden. Each Friday is big harvest day on the farm. Alexandra and Luke fill the boxes with the fresh produce, add honey from the farm’s own beehives and fresh yoghurt.

farmers BY // EMRIS STAPLETON

My name is Emris Stapleton, from Chateaubelair, I am a field officer at the ministry of agriculture, I am also a farmer, organic gardener and active community member.

Eventually, the farm will have cattle grazing to provide every single element of the boxes from one source. The finished boxes are delivered to a collection point in Kingstown or to the ferries to be transported to the Grenadines.

Using only reused cardboard boxes, glass jars and tetra packs as packing materials, the boxes are essentially zero waste, while providing high quality organic food to the customers, spreading awareness and, most importantly, great taste all over Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

PERMACULTURE COMMUNITY Aside of food production, Luke aims to develop his farm more extensively in order to give life to his vision of a Permaculture Community. By founding an educational center and a vegan cafe - supplied by locally and sustainably grown food - he is creating a venue for people interested in Permaculture. People from all walks of life are welcome, and the aim is for new ideas to develop and spread amongst like minded people. In the future, Luke also wants to give kids the chance to reconnect with nature through summer camps. These will include activities like planning a garden, learning about the local flora and fauna, drumming, making bows and arrows, crafting baskets out of vines, going sailing and more.

Touching the earth and connecting to the natural. Teaching the youth to truly enjoy the nature and value the mountains as well as the ocean.

The family’s vision of this Permaculture Community is based on economy as a common factor, allowing the community to grow in an ecological system so that everybody can benefit from the generated income. Everyone who is interested in living a life along the principles of Permaculture is welcome to live outside today’s social norms, creating a community with a deep connection to nature.

The idea of growing food without pesticides and other chemicals is something that has always intrigued me, but I needed expert advice as to where to begin. The opportunity came to me in July 2017, when I was approached by RVA and Luke Punnet, to start a permaculture garden. I attended the classroom session and was very fascinated and excited by this concept of ecological farming. I was so enthusiastic, I couldn’t wait to start my very own garden. Even though it was very rainy, wet and muddy, the team of volunteers and my family worked very hard to build our organic garden. Soon it began to blossom and bloom and everyone was so excited to see the end product. The plants had flowers, different types of vegetables were growing, and the cucumbers were climbing etc… I find pleasure working in my garden, and there’s always new ideas and new ways of getting things done. I find peace in myself because I get to do something that I really love.

I believe that if we plant what we eat and eat what we grow, it will benefit us tremendously. We’ll become healthier individuals knowing that our food is free from chemicals and other harmful things, and it’s aslo safer for the environment.

After seeing how beautifully my garden was coming to life, I had the idea to bring permaculture to the Belle Isle Correctional Facility. I was already working on a monthly basis with the prison and Ithought it would be nice to volunteer there and teach the inmates something about ecological gardening! The prison has a large arable area where the inmates farm already, they have a lot of animals so a lot of manure is available, and they have a lot of time and manpower. So in December 2017, I went and spoke to the direction and told them about the idea, they welcomed the initiative, and let me use an area to start the Prison’s organic farm!

That’s how I started going every week. We build permanent beds with bamboo, we spread manure, we mulch, we set seeds, we plant seedlings. It means a lot to the inmates to have the opportunity to learn and practice organic gardening. A lot of them will use this technique to get extra income and feed their families when they come out. When they compare the vegetables produced in the organic section with the ones produced with chemicals, they see that it is safer and that the yield is better. Everybody needs and deserves to be healthy, being in prison should help people get back on the right track by providing them with skills that will give them opportunities in society and help them not to return to criminal activities. This project is something that I love and I would like to encourage other people to get on board!

I am also part of FPOOF, Family Producers of Organic Foods, a group of about 20 gardeners that was formed after the first home gardens were built in Chateaubelair.

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This group aims to work together to help each other in the gardens, by coming together to reinforce beds, share seeds and seedlings, plant together, this way we encourage everyone to maintain their gardens.

We also have a beautiful tent for our farmer’s market in which each member can come on Saturday mornings to sell the excess products that they grow. As a group we have some fundraising activities during events like the Rosehall culture fest. The money goes to the group to support group activities, buy materials, and grow.

Recently we bought a gas stove to help one of the members who had just been robbed. This is the kind of example we want to set: an example of cooperation and mutual support.

Permaculture is like a recycling system. You cut the plants, you use the rest for mulch, it becomes fertilizer, you plant new seedlings, they absorb the nutrients to grow and it’s a never ending cycle of feeding the earth that feeds us in return! It is the same for humans, the more we give and share, the happier and healthier we become.

I BELIEVE THAT IF WE PLANT WHAT WE EAT AND EAT WHAT WE GROW, IT WILL BENEFIT US TREMENDOUSLY

Emris Stapleton

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Banner gardening

chef

The Chef Lindon Stephen, AKA Banner Chef at my own restaurant in Chateaubelair “Banner’s Bar and Grill” The Food Internationally Infused Caribbean Cuisine, aspiring healthy organic Cooking Since 30 years

WHO INFLUENCED YOUR COOKING? “I was inspired to cook by my aunt, I watched her cooking as I grew up and she gave me this passion for food.’

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INGREDIENTS? “I mostly source my ingredients locally but it is not always possible so I often have to use imported as well.“

WHAT ARE THE TRADEMARKS OF YOUR COOKING? “I love spicing up my dishes to give them a special twist, but really I like to use anything that is available, so I would say my trademark is creativity!”

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE WAY FRUIT AND VEGETABLES ARE GROWN IN SAINT VINCENT TODAY? “I think that too much fertilizers and chemicals are being used to grow all our fruits and vegetables today. People are told by professionals to use this and that chemical to make their vegetables grow bigger and pest free. And we tend to trust professionals, we need to learn how to question! We live in a volcanic country with so much fertile lands, it is a shame to pollute it with so much chemicals.

FAVORITE DISH? “I don’t have a favorite, every time I try something new it becomes my favorite!”

SAVORY OR SWEET? “I would say savory, but it depends on the mood!”

So really what farmers need to understand and see for themselves is that farming naturally or organically is much better for everyone: the farmers, the customers and the earth! Having an organic garden and letting people see that it is possible to grow beautiful crops without chemicals is a real challenge and also a great example to set!”

ARE YOU A GARDENER? HAVE YOU EVER GROWN ANYTHING YOURSELF BEFORE? “I come from an agricultural background. My mom had acres of bananas, and I had my own garden when I was younger and I used to grow some vegetables, herbs and spices. Thanks to Anna B, Anna R and Jakob, three students from the Richmond Vale Academy, I now have an organic garden at home for my restaurant!”

NOT ALL CHEFS HAVE THEIR OWN KITCHEN GARDEN, BUT YOU DO. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO GROW YOUR OWN VEGETABLES? “The garden is important!

It gives me more control over what I will cook, I will know from day to day what vegetables I have available in the garden and be able to prepare my menu and recipes accordingly! It will also allow me to save some money, as I always need to buy a lot of vegetables, which are quite expensive. Moreover, I know that I am not using chemicals, so I can guarantee a healthy and safe meal to my friends and guests! It will help me promote healthy eating!! Healthy and Tasty!!”

HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE? “I see myself producing most of the vegetables I cook for my little restaurant. This will help me advertise healthy organic eating by showing people that it is possible to produce your own food and make it delicious!”

DO YOU HAVE A DREAM OR IDEAL AS A CHEF? “I want to produce good meals, keep people happy and satisfied, so that they keep coming back.”

Delicious vegetable curry COCONUT OIL 2 ONIONS 2 GARLIC CLOVES CURRY POWDER HOMEMADE COCONUT MILK MIXED VEGGIES (ANYTHING YOU LIKE) GREEN BEANS // PUMPKIN // OKRA // CARROTS

Cut all the vegetables in cubes. Cook onion and garlic in a spoon of coconut oil for 5 minutes, add the vegetables cubes in the pan with about 2 to 3 cups of coconut milk and a tablespoon of curry powder. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Cook for about 5 to 10 minutes until the veggies are just soft.

Serve with brown rice cooked in coconut milk.

healthy recipe

BY // CAMILLE BRU

WERE YOU GOOD ABOUT EATING YOUR VEGETABLES AS A KID? “I am not a very good example, I was not really good at eating my veggies as a kid! For my defense, traditional Vincy cooking doesn’t include many vegetables!”

I SAW A NEW WAY IN WHICH GARDENS WERE BUILT, CALLED PERMACULTURE.

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a life-changing garden

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Aster Davis

healthy heroes

kings & delight

queens If you take a look in the restaurant, you will see a lot of pictures and newspaper articles about the Rastafarian lifestyle and African life in general. “Instead of celebrating Easter and Christmas and all of these European ideas, we are celebrating the African and Rastafarian Life and the idea of a healthy lifestyle.” he describes.

Ras believes in the healthy kind of living, because he thinks that this helps you to get a better mindset and to be more happy and satisfied with your life as well. Also it is a way to prevent a lot of diseases like diabetes or cancer.

BY // HOLLMYN VIVALDI SALAMANCA

Many of the high school students who are close to finishing their studies have a big question in their minds: What do I want to do after this? That was also the question asked by Aster Davis (21), a young man from Chateaubelair who suddenly found the perfect answer to that question in the most simple way. During his last weeks of high school, Richmond Vale Academy selected ten homes in the community of Chateaubelair to develop organic gardens in their backyards.

Also Aster’s place was selected to develop this project, which aroused his curiosity and enthusiasm, because he saw a new way in which these gardens were built, called “permaculture”.A way to create a synergy between housing, people, animals, land and the food produced. As Aster was part of the team that carried out the project in his garden, he received an offer from the directors of Richmond Vale Academy to be part of their team and collaborate in the maintenance of the big organic garden on their site. This proposal was received with big pleasure by the future bachelor. As soon as he finished his studies he began to work in the garden of the academy, where he acquired more in-depth knowledge about the principles of permacultur, the use of organic waste to create a rich soil, how to make compost, agricultural production free of pesticides;

and how these actions contribute to mitigate the impacts of climate change. When Aster learned about the operation of the school, he made a decision that will change the direction of his life during the next years. He decided that he wants to be part of the TG (Teachers Group) at Richmond Vale Academy, to contribute to the school and his community. part of the different programs offered by the academy. Not only by working in the garden, but also by sharing knowledge with local and foreign students. As a next step in order to accomplish his goals, Aster enrolled in the 6-month Climate Compliance program that started in March 2019. From there, he plans to start his career as a Teacher. Within a few years, teaching will be his contribution to society.

Hearing this story makes me feel proud and rejoiced. In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the second poorest island nation in the Caribbean, young people who finish their studies have higher chances of being exposed to criminal activities and vices that limit their development as important players in society. But in this case, the construction of a small garden not only changed the yard of a humble home, it also changed the future of a young man who will be a role model to his family and his community.

BY // NIKLAS LAHR

A special place for us in St. Vincent is the restaurant “Kings and Queens Delight” in Kingstown. The owner of the place is the 55 years old Ras Imani. He and his wife, who is also working in the restaurant, have 6 children. The whole family has a passion for cooking. Some of the kids are Chefs in other restaurants. Ras’ dream is it to give “Kings and Queens” to one of his kids to live and cook in Africa. But he is not an ordinary cook. He is a Rastafarian cook.

What makes “Kings and Queens Delight” very unique, is the fact that it is the only place in St. Vincent which serves just vegan food. I was curious and asked Ras why he is just selling vegan food. It is part of his philosophy of life, he explained.

He lives a natural way of life. Many people ask him why he does not sell meat or alcohol, because he could make a lot of money with that, but for him money is not that important. “It’s about offering people healthier food and a way to connect with nature and the earth. That’s our passion, that’s what we’re doing”, he says. Part of his idea of a healthy lifestyle is buying local.

He works together with different farmers in order to serve fresh food everyday. It is important to eat fresh to stay healthy, he thinks. But not only the healthy food is what makes “Kings and Queens Delight” so unique.

Me and many people at Richmond Vale Academy share his ideas and are happy that Ras and his wife promote this way of life. That’s why “Kings and Queens Delight” is a special place for us. It is more than just a restaurant. Besides good food, you will get an idea about an alternative and healthy lifestyle.

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WHY JUST ALL NATURAL VEGAN FOOD? IT’S ABOUT OFFERING PEOPLE HEALTHIER FOOD AND A WAY TO CONNECT WITH NATURE AND THE EARTH.

” Ras Imani

eco Samuel Glasgow

BY // CAMILLE BRU

My name is Samuel Glasgow, but everyone calls me Sammy! Let me tell you about Vincy, my natural, peaceful and friendly homeland and my Tropical Paradise. Nature is very generous here: we have many beautiful lush green forests and a wonderful volcano. In one day you can experience all of it: the sand, the sea, the rivers, the waterfalls, the volcano, the rainforest, the clouds… I climbed the volcano for the first time when I was about 10 years old, and since then I go as often as possible.

The hike takes you from the beach, to the river, and up into the clouds in about 6 to 10 hours return, depending on your fitness. This hike is a total workout, with breathtaking sceneries and a time to blend in with nature, you don’t get that in a gym! I Love it! Preserving the forest and nature in general is very important. The forest plays a vital role in the island’s life, it provides the rain that brings water to our rivers and that keep our farms flourishing.

In the past years I have been going up 40 to 60 times per year, as a guide for the Richmond Vale Academy hiking center.

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EVERYTHING IS A CYCLE AND IF YOU REMOVE ONE OF THE ELEMENTS, EVERYTHING IS THROWN OFF BALANCE

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Everything is a cycle and if you remove one of the elements, everything is thrown off balance, that is what climate change is doing to us. If we destroy our forests, we won’t have any more rain for our crops, we will then have to import more plastic-wrapped goods and canned food, which will end up in our rivers and cause a lot of pollution.

Where the tropical rainforest begins, parrots in Vincy yellow, green and blue fly by and all you can hear is the wind or the rhythm of the drums: Zenique Punnett AKA Zen lives in a place that many of us would call paradise. And the good thing is that you can find yourself in this place as well; to enjoy a fashion and art exhibition, a reggae festival or just to spent some days far away from home and to surround yourself with everything Mother Nature has to offer. Bush Bar is the place to be for all the conscious backpackers and nature lovers out there.

The idea behind it was to create an authentic Vincy experience in “the bush”. With Bush Bar, Zen supports a more sustainable lifestyle in many ways. By offering natural and organic food from the vegetarian cuisine, for example.

It was when a family member was in very critical health condition that she realized being vegetarian was healthier and necessary.

Since there are a lot of farms around here and Zen even has her own organic garden, it was easy for her to use fresh ingredients, fruits and vegetables at Bush Bar every day. Can you already imagine yourself sitting on one of the colourful African-style pillows on the ground, surrounded by bamboo walls and Zen’s very own paintings, while sipping a homemade pineapple juice? Because it is not just the food that is natural, also the building itself. Reducing, reusing and recycling materials was very important to her in order to build the rustic bar and idyllic eco lodges. It is all made with locally sourced organic materials, such as bamboo and different types of wood. Only the concrete foundation and galvanize for the roof don’t fit the label sustainable. but this is what is available here.

If our garbage ends up in the rivers, it eventually pollutes our ocean, our fish eat the plastic, and we end up eating it ourselves. Do you know about the turtles? They are almost extinct because of all the plastic in the ocean. So we have to be more conscious about our actions and all play our part. You can use cloth bags when you go shopping for example, so that you don’t take plastic bags in the shops. So you and I and everybody, we all have to play our part protecting and preserving Nature for the coming generations.

Bush Bar does not just function as a gallery for her own paintings. In fact, Zen tries to support the local creative community as much as she can by collecting pieces from local artists and fashion designers whenever she organizes an exhibition at Bush Bar. I really enjoy inviting other fellow local artists to share, create and inspire.”

Zenique Punnett BY // ANOUK FRERIKS

I am very concerned about the plastic and all sorts of garbage that I have been seeing on the beach, in the rivers and on the hiking trails lately. We don’t realize that everything we buy and consume has to be disposed of properly.

On all the walls Zen’s expressive pieces of art are popping up.

Growing up around other artists inspired her to become one herself. It is in her roots. “When I paint, I paint my reality. It is like entering my diary every day and putting all my emotions and passion into it.” Painting is her way to express her feelings and life itself is always an important source of inspiration. Her aim is to paint beautiful things that she wants to see around her.

actors Selly Patterson BY // NIKLAS LAHR

Selly Patterson is a teacher at Richmond Vale Academy. He is responsible for his own team and he develops projects to help Vincentians together with them. But he is not only taking care of his team.

Many times he is the connection between the communities and the academy. He puts a lot of time and effort into his job and he is always searching for new projects or things to improve.

But this is not enough for Selly.

Besides his work at Richmond Vale Academy, he is also the president of the Rose Hall culture and development organization. An organization that was founded in 2008 which organizes for the annual Christmas lights and the Culture Fest in Rose Hall, for example. In March of this year the group finished a long term project that was started in 2010. They restored a trail down to the river, where they built a changing room out of bamboo as well as a Gazebo with solar panels on the roof. The river is very important to Selly, because it is the place where people used go to recreate before they had pipes in the mountains. So, he is very happy that they made this place important and beautiful for today’s citizens of Rose Hall again. The project is not only about the building, it is mostly about working with the community and bringing people together. For this, the organization also started a drumming group for people to build and play the drums, they trained farmers in sustainable agriculture, as well as in project planning and even had trainings for tour guides to help people diversify their activities. Selly is proud of the project and the efforts he and his group put into it, because “it is very beneficial for the people in Rose Hall”.

Another project Selly is currently working on is about “traditional uses of local herbs”. It aims to collect informations about the herbs growing in the different villages, their properties and their traditional medicinal use. This information will be shared in a book.

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SELLY’S IDEA IS TO BRING PEOPLE FROM ROSE HALL BACK TO THEIR ROOTS AND THE CULTURE OF THEIR VILLAGE.

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Many of the herbs were planted in a dedicated area near the the river project of Rose Hall. Preserving the knowledge and the tradition “is very important, because herbs are connected to the history of the villages”. In the past the government built factories in Rose Hall to produce some of the herbs. Now Selly and his team replicate some of the methods the factories used in the past to display the history of the village for the people today.

Selly’s work for Rose Hall does not stop there. He and his group want more people to enjoy Rose Hall, so he bought a piece of land from the government, where they will build eco-cabins where people can come and stay for a night. The plan is to provide these places with a kitchen and solar panels, as well as a bio gas and a rainwater collection system. Even tough Selly is the one who bought the piece of land, he does not want to keep the site for himself. He wants it to be “a public place so people can enjoy the view, have a karaoke night or just to have a place to stay when they come to the culture fest”. The location of these cabins was chosen because of its history: the first houses in Rose Hall were built at the exact same place and had to be moved in the 1960s because of hurricanes. Selly’s idea is to bring people from Rose Hall back to their roots and the culture of the village. With all the cultural activities, new highlights to visit, and of course the beautiful view and natural surroundings that were already there, the village will attract a lot more tourists. And this creates a lot of employment for young people. With more tourists coming to Rose Hall, Selly says, people are needed in area as tour guides or promotion and many more. This celebration of the culture and beauty of Rose Hall gathers people, brings communities together and goes hand in hand with the creation of career opportunities for young people.

Why is Selly doing this? He has a job and a family and still he puts so much time and effort into the development of his village. Selly’s answer to that is quite simple.

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EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN UNIQUE TALENT AND THEY CAN USE IT TO MAKE THE WORLD AND THEIR COMMUNITY A BETTER PLACE

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He saw the culture of Rose Hall dying and he wanted to change this. Instead, he wants to share the beautiful culture of Rose Hall with as many people as possible. Even though he has to admit that it is not always easy for him to find the balance between his job at Richmond Vale Academy, his family and his projects for the Rose Hall community. But seeing the outcome and how this makes everyone happy is motivating him to continue to work hard and find the balance. He wants to encourage people to do the same and start their own projects, because he is convinced that everyone has their own unique talent and they can use it to make the world and their community a better place.

Materials CALABASH SAW SPOON VINEGAR // LEMON SAFFRON // TURMERIC

coconut cups

Brenda Roberts

community calabash bowlies

creative

Materials PEELED DRY COCUNUT KNIFE FINE SAND PAPER THIN SAW WOOD GLUE

1 Cut a

1 Scrape

calabash in half with a saw.

surface of coconut with a knife.

BY // YUKA SHIMIZU

In Troumaca, a village in Saint David Parish, the North Leeward side of St. Vincent, there is a home-garden shaped like a sun.

Tomatoes, lettuce, okra, beans, corn, basil, asparagus, pineapples, barbados cherry, soursop… from very common crops to rare ones in St. Vincent, a variety of vegetables and fruits are growing vigorously.

Three youngn rabbits and their parents live nearby the garden and produce manure every day.

An abandoned banana field next to the garden provides green and brown mulch. A new water tank to collect rainwater was recently installed. The garden doesn’t know any chemicals. By the way, who is the owner of the sustainable, ecological, and beautiful garden?

Her name is Brenda Roberts. She decided to be a farmer influenced by a great farmer, very dear to her heart:, her mother. Thanks to her, Brenda got so addicted to farming that she didn’t think to get another kind of job at all. In 1981, she and her partner, Percy Jocelyn started farming together in Rosehall, a village right above Troumaca and the highest village in St. Vincent.

Currently, they have a field for coconuts and plantains, two commercial farms, and the sun-shaped organic garden for themselves.

From morning to evening, they spend about seven hours for farming every day. The crops harvested for themselves are mainly cooked as salad or juice.

Beets juice made by Brenda bring out the best in the beets and makes everybody happy.

“Little a piece of cutlass and scraper are my thing. I love farming.

I really enjoy it.” She told us with a big smile, shining like the sun.

Brenda learned how to make coconut cups and calabash bowlies from her handicraft teacher at school. She is so passionate about her culture and traditions that one day, she shared this skill with a group of students from Richmond Vale Academy through a workshop. Based on her advices and experiences, we made traditional Vincy crafts and what a reward to hold our own homemade cups and bowls!. Why don’t you make your own vessel?

And finally, you can eat out of your calabash Bowlie and drink out of your coconut cup! No more need for a disposable plate or a plastic glass! You made a beautiful art piece and contribute to a cleaner environment!

2 Scrape the

2 Make it

white part out with a spoon.

smooth with a piece of sandpaper.

3 Cut the

3 Wash the inside with vinegar or lemon.

4 Scrape

4 Coat the

the coconut meat out with a knife. This is the hardest part. On the other hand, you can eat a lot of coconut as a reward.

surface with turmeric or saffron.

6 While your Bowlie is still green, you can carve some beautiful patterns on it. When it’s dry, you can decide to paint it.

5 Dry it in

the sun for a day or two.

upper side with a saw to get a piece for the base.

Be careful not to make the piece too small! Otherwise the base of your cup would be too so small and unstable.

5 Make the inside smooth with a piece of sandpaper.

6 Attach the

small piece to the main part with wood glue.

Established in 2002, RVA is a registered non-profit research and training institution situated in the Chateaubelair area.

Since opening, students from this country and from around the world have participated in courses centered on poverty reduction, environmental conservation and climate change awareness. The Academy’s programs give students the opportunity to directly influence positive change on the environment and in communities. After severe weather disasters, Richmond Vale Academy took decisive action by initiating a program called ‘The Saint Vincent Climate Compliance Conference 2012 – 2021’. The ongoing action conference works with the themes on Food, Water and Energy Security and How we get ready for Climate Change. In 2018, the Global Environment Fund Small Grants Program, Ministry of Agriculture and Richmond Vale Academy made a project of creating 30 sustainable home gardens with families in North Leeward. Several of the articles in this newspaper feature families and persons who have benefited from the GEF Small Grant Funding: Pass-It-On Sustainable Model Garden Project.