The following article was extracted from Rosemary Parkinson’s Facebook Page. She has become known on Facebook and BU as a strident advocate for one cause or the other as it affects Bajans. A read of Rosemary’s Bio can be an intimidating experience; where does she find the time and energy! At the core of what she does is publishing books about the foods of our region BUT her interest gleaned from her BIO is far-flung.
Love it. First OUR LOCAL DAIRY tries to fool the people with their so-called “fresh” milk that was not fresh but some new-fangled bad-tasting excuse for milk that could last on a shelf for 90 days.
When the people screamed, OUR LOCAL DAIRY thought they could fool even more people by putting same into the coolers of supermarkets but the taste remained the same and no matter what OUR LOCAL DAIRY did for marketing, nothing worked.
CEO of OUR LOCAL DAIRY says “consumption not like it used to be”…well Sir WHOSE FAULT IS THAT, PRAY TELL? You admitted that people used to drink more milk in the past…so you gave yourself the answer one time but just in case you still doan get it. WHEN THAT HORRIBLE MILK DID NOT SELL, WHY DID YOU NOT TAKE YOUR LOSSES, SCRAP DE PROCEDURE AND REVERT TO THE REAL MILK THAT HAD BEEN SELLING WELL FOR YEARS EH? Oh! No! No!…you believed that we the people would soon get over our disgust and begin the consumption of what you felt we had to consume whether we liked it or not. Perhaps your marketing man should have heeded my words at BMEX when you first launched there and he insisted this milk was “fresh from the cow”…for I said clearly…THE PEOPLE WILL NOT LIKE THIS…YOU WILL LOSE!
It took awhile to sink in…and then outta de blue…without much pomp…you tried in a most limp manner to re-introduce a fresh milk but de people dem by then had lost faith in your marketing…everyone wondered what was in there this time? Ya try to fool some of de people dem, some o’de time, but ya cyan’t fool all de people, all de time. Simple ting.
THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN STRONGLY. But still instead of doing the right thing, you gine punish we….yes…you will punish the country…by your decision to buy less milk and force dairy farmers to cut back production and therefore their herd AND THEREFORE THEIR EMPLOYEES, SOME OF WHOM HAVE BEEN WORKING THESE FARMS FOR YEARS AND WHOSE FAMILIES RELY ON THIS MONEY TO FEED AND CLOTHE AND EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN.
….and to add insult to injury…what a lot of people ent know is that our local dairy has been playing “Let’s take a roller coaster ride” with dairy farmers for a long long time now lowering the contracted price as they feel and further…”increase the herd” “decrease the herd” “increase the herd” no no no “decrease the herd”…perhaps LOCAL DAIRY your real goal is to just close down the dairy farming industry in this country in order to allow for the importation of powder milk from China et al or wait…maybe…maybe…could it be? No! I do not want to believe it…PHD from a parent company in a neighbouring island eh? No! Never! Bajans would not do that to Bajans. But it is food for thought one has to admit! SHAME SHAME SHAME.
Perhaps this is the time for A NEW CO-OPERATIVE DAIRY that will purchase the farmers production of the good old fashioned milk we were accustomed to in the past. A CO-OPERATIVE WHERE FARMERS ALSO HAVE DAIRY FARMERS TIME TO GET TOGETHER…GO BACK TO GOOD OLD ORGANIC GRAZING…..GIVE US THE GOOD STUFF AND PUT OUR LOCAL DAIRY OUTTA THEIR MISERY. GOAT FARMERS JOIN THE DAIRY FARMERS WITH GOAT MILK….PERHAPS YOU BOTH CAN CREATE YOUR OWN PASTEURIZING PLANT (get an EU grant). DESIGN GREAT LABELS, ORGANIZE SOME COOL MARKETING AND BRING BACK THE REAL THING INTO OUR DIETS. Using both these milks, we could also have great yoghurt, incredible cheeses…AND STOP ALL THE DYAMNED IMPORTS!!! I PUT MY ENERGY WHERE MY MOUTH IS AND WOULD BE PREPARED TO HELP HERE..
We got ‘nuff money floating ‘bout on this island but those who have it seem to not have any creativity imbedded in their DNA. If I had money (and perhaps a certain very wealthy dairy farmer might just take note – WE DO NOT HAVE TO GO TO GOVERNMENT FOR EVERY LITTLE THING) this would be what I would invest in big time. Cheese is not difficult to make…and experts are already here who can teach locals…and if they do not want to…bring in a few from Italy…New Zealand wherever…we bring in experts to talk shite and do nothing…bring in some for a change with an agenda…an agenda to give us the knowledge to create all manner of products from dairy…de guy in these photos makes an incredible butter right here…and garlic spreads…some with dried local tomatoes…delicious yoghurts – savoury or sweet with our local fruit! And what about beautiful Gelato ice creams (I know a young man in Italy who would come here like a shot to teach the latter and he knows our fruit, did all the studies, and has used them all in ice cream + more…!) WE ARE IMPORTING STUFF WE CAN MAKE HERE. Does not take a rocket scientist…just a government who would do all in its power to give us the food security we need so desperately at this time.
LAWD I GET SO VEXED AT THOSE WHO GOT IT AND PUT IT INTO CONCRETE INSTEAD OF INTO FOOD!!!
By the way…I have been EATING THE FABULOUS CHEESE MADE BY THIS ITALIAN (perhaps he could work as a consultant…who knows?) FROM GOAT’S MILK purchased at HOAD FARMS with COW’S MILK FROM GREENWICH FARMS…have documented the making of same in my book – Barbados Bu’n-Bu’n. For months now I have been drinking delicious fresh cow’s milk from Greenwich Farms (just call and collect or get same every Sunday at Holders Farmers Market)…have been at the farm, seen the whole procedure…the cows graze like cows should…milk is taken from them under the most hygienic of systems…and for the first time in ages I have begun to enjoy milk to the fullest…’cause it is totally delicious, even got all that lovely thick cream at the top! So? Bet if great high quality milk and its by-products were on the shelves well packaged, with a marketing thrust behind same…the people would buy. How about “Shock Your Parents, Demand Milk!”
IT IS CERTAINLY WORTH A TRY BEFORE YOU BUCKLE UNDER THE PRESSURE OF GREED. Just my gut feeling….for life can be simple and there is always an answer to stupidity. Or is there? Sometimes I do wonder!
And now further…the news that farmers might have to or are considering dumping milk…now really really really….why not give same to all the schools, the children’s homes, the homes for the elderly, both government and private eh? That little idea not on anyone’s agenda? You rather just throw it all away? Are we following the ways of the US here? And the same goes for farmers that cannot get rid of their produce…every thought that those in need might be so happy to receive? FRESH FOOD SHOULD NEVER BE DUMPED!!!!
I WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF OUR DAIRY FARMERS REFUSED TO SELL OUR LOCAL DAIRY ANY MILK FOR ONE WEEK BUT INSTEAD GAVE IT AWAY? OR SOLD IT REALLY REALLY CHEAP TO PEOPLE AND/OR INSTITUTIONS…ALL IT NEEDS IS A BOILING IF YOU FEEL THAT THE MILK WOULD BE SAFER….AND IF TRANSPORTATION OF SAME IS A PROBLEM, HAVE PEOPLE COME TO THEIR PARTICULAR DAIRY AND PICK IT UP….MAYBE I AM NOT SEEING ALL THE PROBLEMS BUT…SURELY THERE IS A SOLUTION…YES! TAKE THE LOCAL DAIRY TO COURT IF YOU HAVE TO FARMERS BUT MEANWHILE??? HOW ABOUT GETTING TOGETHER WITH A PLAN??
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