Carmeta’s Corner
This space was created to discuss and exchange ideas about promoting good nutrition, food security and related matters – Blogmaster
Barbados Underground
Bringing News and Opinions to the People
This space was created to discuss and exchange ideas about promoting good nutrition, food security and related matters – Blogmaster
These youth should not have to ask twice for help to plough the space. Who is the MP?
Here is another interesting statement from a party that had James Paul and Haynesley Benn in its fold.
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Harvesting beans every 3rd day. Since I am on lockdown I thought what better way to make myself useful than by doing an “agricultural” task that is easily done inside, so I harvested some cassava on Monday and made a small batch of cassava flour this week. Maybe 2 gallons. I haven’t measured it yet. But since the supermarkets here sell it for $12 BDS for a twelve ounce package i don’t feel like I’ve wasted my time.
$.68 USD per ounce on amazon, plus whatever it would cost to have it shipped.
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Cheese on bread,that is some expensive cassava flour. Last time I checked, the African store near me was selling a kilo for $9.99. Maybe I should buy some to put in my coo-coo and dumplings. And, it comes all the way from Ghana.
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HELP!!!
https://barbadostoday.bb/2021/02/07/badmc-urges-farmers-to-come-forward-with-produce-to-fill-care-packages/
Feverish attempts are continuing to ensure vulnerable families can benefit from Government’s care packages expected to be delivered this week.
Despite the Pack House of the Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (BADMC) at Fairy Valley and Bridgetown being a hive of activity yesterday, it is still short of a number of the produce required for filling the care È packages as distribution days draw near.
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@ Donna and Cuhdear Bajan,
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has its first female and youngest ever Chief Agricultural Officer, Keeley Holder, whose appointment took effect from February 1, 2021.
https://www.nationnews.com/2021/02/08/new-agriculture-chief-appointed/
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Hants,
Yes, I saw that. She seems promising. One can only hope. She has been brought into the MOA from the outside. Maybe she has hive connections. Hope she can shake things up and still get support from the inside.
Kammie Holder,
Missed you offer of lemon basil. I have hatched numerous basil but as yours seems to be different and proven I may take you up on that offer soon.
You never got back to me on the watermelons. I since planted sugar babies but they struggled.
Cuhdear Bajan,
I see what you mean about taking a break. The ground is hard and dry and and the wind can be fierce.
Dame Bajans,
The neem works well for all the crops but the cucumber. Trying the dishwashing liquid again. Trying it on the squash and zucchini for the powdery mildew too. One teaspoon colourless Ivory with 1 tablespoon of baking soda and a tablespoon of vegetable oil to 1gallon of water or maybe I mixed it up a bit. Got to check the proportions again. Will see how that goes. Got a few squash, zucchini and honey dew melons on the vines. Pulled up the cucumber after reaping only four. Planting new seeds tomorrow.
Got cherry tomatoes now in abundance. Plum tomatoes blossoming. Bananas, pigeon peas and pomegranates soon to be picked. Plenty beets, kale and chinese greens being reaped. All thirty odd of other crops doing very well. Onions coming slowly.
Cut down my okra plants. Bearing fresh again. Cut down the eggplants yesterday. Still have some in the fridge to be used. Mine store well for a couple of weeks.
So many people are realising that it is not so hard to feed yourself. Rasta cousin being booked for work. I told him he can always take some seedlings to start them off.
Oops! Time to turn off the irrigation.
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@ Hants
For once we have made an appointment that is incredibly brilliant. I believe she is one of the most dynamic, insightful and ambitious young people in Barbados and was destined for the top.
I hope she can bring some of that brilliance and imagination to her new position, she was the person I always had a mental picture of when we talked about developing agriculture as an industry in Barbados.
With a good team of advisers around her, loyal and hard-working, Barbadian agriculture can take off.
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Well, that is certainly “good news for modern [wo] man”!
I saw the signs that we were getting serious about agriculture. It is not all doom and gloom.
John Knox be damned!
I told him that agriculture is becoming “sexy” in Barbados!
Young people no longer equate it with slavery. This I know from talking with them and seeing many of them getting involved and from the features in the newspapers.
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I wish the young lady success.
Let us hope she does not have to deal with the political geniuses in government.
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This is a shame.
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Produce high quality
Dr Worrell says focus on growing fresh food
A senior economist is recommending that Barbados focus on producing more “high quality” fresh foods instead of seeking to attain food security.
Dr DeLisle Worrell argued that locally produced food would not be cheap for consumers, adding that mass production could even mean people having to “pick or dig” their own food supply.
In his February newsletter titled Eating What You Grow Won’t Increase Food Security, Worrell recalled how a resurgence of locusts in Somalia devastated crops in that East African nation, which he said was a stark reminder that “depending on food you produce yourself is a very insecure way to live”.
“If Barbadians depended mainly on fruits and vegetables grown locally, we would suffer from acute shortages whenever there was drought, flooding or extreme weather, or whenever crops were affected by infestations, predators or other adversity.
Growing your own food does not increase food security, it decreases food security,” the former Govenor of the Central Bank said .
“In order to turn the corner on what is still a failing agricultural sector, farmers need to focus on the production of high quality fresh foods, produced organically and distributed to consumers safely, quickly and conveniently. This will not be cheap food for mass consumption. If the product is cheap to buy the return to the farmer will be low, or you will not find the product fresh in the supermarket, and you will have to go pick or dig your own supply,” he said.
The former central bank governor said a focus on organically produced fresh food production “offers ample scope for vigorous expansion in farm output in Barbados and the Caribbean”, adding that there was already a demand for healthy, nutritious food.
“The Caribbean now boasts creative chefs who use local products as the basis for exciting culinary experiences for residents and visitors alike. With the use of suitable incentives, governments can provide the stimulus for the growth of a sustainable agriculture that does not depend on bans, prohibitions or tariffs on imported foods, and which provides a comfortable middle-class lifestyle for farmers,” he said.
Worrell also suggested that the practice of how crops are being protected from harmful insects and diseases should be revisited.
“It does matter how the food is grown. We need to ask whether current agricultural practices in Barbados do in fact produce high quality food that is healthy and nutritious to eat. My wife Monica and I live in the country, and I have to confess that the frequent scent of herbicides and pesticides, wafting across from cultivated fields nearby, is more than a little disconcerting,” he said.
The Mia Mottley administration has been focused on boosting food security over the past two years, implementing several farming programmes to encourage ramped up food production, while encouraging farmers to engage in certain practices including water-harvesting.
Barbados is said to import about 80 per cent of the food it consumes.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Indar Weir has in the past said his ministry was developing climate change mitigation strategies to help protect the industry from climate change threats as the island moved towards food security.
He has also indicated a push by his ministry for farmers to use more environmentally controlled systems to produce high crops despite adverse weather or climatic conditions “thus ensuring the island’s food security”.
“In this regard, he said the Ministry of Agriculture was seeking to promote container farming, which he said would provide for year-round production of certain vegetables, herbs and shallow rooted crops,” Weir said.
However, in his newsletter, Worrell argued while there were good reasons to promote competitive local production of quality fresh produce, “they have nothing to do with food security”.
“Instead, local farmers should be encouraged to provide top quality food in support of healthy lifestyles for Barbadians. Nutritionists attest to the fact that fresh produce, locally grown, is the key to a healthy diet,” said Worrell.
The local agriculture sector was the best performing last year, according to the latest Central Bank report, which showed that agriculture output was 1.9 per cent higher than in 2019, with the main source of growth being as a result of higher food crop production.
The report showed that while the sugar industry contributed about $4.2 million to the island’s gross domestic product (GDP) last year, compared to $4 million a year prior, the non-sugar agriculture contribution increased by $1.9 million, to reach $117 million of GDP last year.
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The Mottleys should pick their pawpaw before they get ripe. Just as or before they start toturn. I bought two this week imported from Mexico. One has ripened and the other should be ready tomorrow. Price was .88 cents a pound from Food Basics. In Barbados, I bought a small one for $6.
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@Dame
Very good suggestion. I bought pawpaw over here and sometimes I have to wait until they ripen.
Hopefully, they are not waiting until the pawpaws are ripe and juicy.
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@Hants
I tried to read, but when the man said
“Growing your own food does not increase food security, it decreases food security,” my eyes glazed over.
I think I got the point he was trying to make, but it is expressed so inaccurately I couldn’t take anymore.
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@ TheOGazerts,
Dr DeLisle Worrell’s argument is beyond my comprehension.
My advice to Bajans is do like Donna and Cuhdear Bajan and grow as much of your own food as you can.
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Oh, thank heavens! I thought I was losing it!
I still have not been able to make heads or tails of his submission.
Since you TheO have deciphered it, perhaps you could enlighten me.
P.S My paw paw tree leaves seem to be wind burning. Maybe no paw paws for me this year.
😩
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Oh, I lied! I did not really think I was losing it.
But we should be into eco-farming. Pesticides are counterproductive. Can’t we move towards controlled environments? They are really not as expensive as they are made out to be. I wanted to learn the basic way so that I would be able to function in natural conditions. There could be a time when the do das are unavailable. Soon though, I will be switching to combination greenhouse/ shadehouse conditions.
My Rasta cousin has taught me what he knows and I have taught him a thing or two from the scientists.
My crash course is over. I’ll be without him, mostly, from now on.
But here’s the good news! My son says he does not want me to work alone. He is rearranging his timetable and committing himself to an hour in the garden with me.
Killing several birds with one stone, he says. Regular sunshine, exercise, fresh air, less screentime, learning to grow food and great interaction with his mom. Increased creative juices from communing with nature and improved brain power.
Don’t tell me there is no God! From the very beginning I prayed for help in raising a worthy son. A few stubborn mouthy hiccups along the way but in this case I did not press him. Figured this one out by himself. This was ALL HIS IDEA!
Life is soooo good!
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Donna, there was a pawpaw blight in Barbados several years ago. All the leaves would fall off leaving just the pawpaws on the stalk. They would eventually turn yellow but were not sweet. Bajans wont eat them, but I did. Cleaned a neighbours tree when I was home.
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@Hants February 11, 2021 12:44 PM “mass production could even mean people having to “pick or dig” their own food supply.”
I read the report in Barbados Today and I too found it confusing. Maybe the reporter made a hash of it? I think that I should read DeLisle’s newsletter for myself.
My position is that we need both big and small agriculture, both local and imported food. A local flood or drough can create hunger or famine anywhere. And that anywhere can be Barbados or the United States, or Cina, or Russia. All countries are subject to the vagaries of weather.
I know not a ting about macro economics, nor do I know a thing about agricultural economics, but what I do know is that growing food locally has certainly created my own food security. My freezer is still full of organically self grown pumpkin, multiple kinds of sweet potato, okras, Chinese cabbage, and cassava, and pork and lamb from a neighboring “disabled” farmer. My small batch of dried cassava turned out to be a bit more that 2 gallons which I shared with my planting buddies. A have some set aside for a cousin and a young working woman. In spite of predictions that there would be “food riots” in Barbados during Covid that has not happened yet. Please note that I am not saying that it can never happen.
My parents, neither of whom went past elementary school, raised 9 children to healthy productive adulthood, and they themselves both lived past the age of 85. So far the one child who ironically moved to the most food secure country in the world, the United States, died “early” at only 65. All of the others have gone well past 60 and a couple so far have gone past 80. My 80+ brother is still driving, since he is married I take it that he is still “looking after” his wife, still managing his own household without ZERO outside help. Hasn’t spent a day in hospital in the last 16 years. My parents raised a large family by my father working at his trade, AND by both of my parents and ALL of the children working to produce much of our own food. It may not work for everybody, but it has worked for us. Some might call it good luck or good genes, but I believe that hard outdoor work, and healthy home grown food has had a lot to do with it.
Having to “pick or dig” their own food supply is not necessarily a bad thing. There are 168 hours in a week, and after we have worked for pay for 40 hours, and slept for 56 what exactly is it that we do with the other 72 hours? The way I look at it few things can be better that using 10 or 15 of those 72 hours to get some healthy outdoor exercise working agricultural plots both small and large.
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Correction: with ZERO outside help
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@Hants February 9, 2021 1:25 AM “The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has its first female.”
I wish her well…but she is so young and beautiful, that she looks like she should be sitting on a cushion sewing a fine seam and feasting on strawberries, sugar and cream, rather than getting her hands dirty.
Just kiddin’
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The Dust Bowl was the name given to the drought-stricken Southern Plains region of the United States, which suffered severe dust storms during a dry period in the 1930s. As high winds and choking dust swept the region from Texas to Nebraska, people and livestock were killed and crops failed across the entire region.
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I’ve hatched some broccoli and some plum tomatoes, they both germinated in about a week. I’ve never grown either before so I will see how that goes. Last year I grew some Chinese cabbage and that did so well I had plenty to give away including some to a city feeding program. Organic cabbage leaves and rice is much better food than plain rice.
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I think cuhdear has the best explanation “Maybe the reporter made a hash of it?”
I think he was saying… If you plant your crop on become self dependent, then one day something might happen and destroy your crops..
“If Barbadians depended mainly on fruits and vegetables grown locally, we would suffer from acute shortages whenever there was drought, flooding or extreme weather, or whenever crops were affected by infestations, predators or other adversity.
Growing your own food does not increase food security, it decreases food security,” the former Govenor of the Central Bank said .
True, but if you depend on others, something might happen and destroy their crop as well. Plus, what about reducing imports… Going to apply for the head COB position.
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Source: Nation
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Source: Nation
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ALL these things about praedial larceny have been known for decades. So have the solutions. Will they be implemented this time?
On the good news side, I just had me some lemongrass tea. For the first time NOT IMPORTED OR STORE BOUGHT. What fools we often are! A little local sugar, high quality stuff and I good to go!
For breakfast – eggs and plantain – local.
Lunch – breadfruit pie and local pork chops. The white sauce will be made with breadfruit flour and local milk All local veg, some from my own garden – kale, okra, beets, pumpkin, carrots, beans, celery.
Good stuff!
Got a new monkey repellant tip, newspaper on the groundaround the crops, preferably with photographs of humans. Apparently they don’t like to step on it and the photos confuse them.
But… I have confirmation yet again that if you don’t chase them, they have mercy on you. Apart from my own experience, two ladies told me that they mostly leave their stuff alone also. They take a little bit to eat and that’s all. They do not pull everything up before they leave.
Saw Cuhdear Bajan talking about the “nuisance” cowitch on another blog. Looked it up and saw that the plant has numerous uses and the pods are even edible and nutritious.
When will we ever learn????
I guess when we visit Indonesia. Or when we get hungry enough!
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And I forgot! Going to wash the lunch down with some coconut water from my cousin’s tree.
Island life! Sweet!
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Well! Two days of intermittant rain and my plants have grown twofold. FRESH from the skies always does the trick. No garden hose or watering can can compete, even when they spout stored rain water.
Maybe that is where the saying “right as rain” originated from long ago.
My garden is surely looking right as rain now. Everybody is green and standing tall.
Rain is good for young plants AND old plants, it seems because even the old eggplants stood up and took note. And finally the onions and butternut squash look healthy. Got four squash on the vines. Third time lucky! Thyme and marjoram also coming along nicely. It is all in the watering.. You must let the soil dry out before watering them.
I have discovered that nobody should buy basil. The things just love to grow and no pests bother them. Herbs on the whole are easy. Everybody should grow their own.. Nobody should buy celery, kale, radishes, eggplant, spinach. None of these are hard to grow. Celery grows well in pots and so does kale. Eggplants just keep on producing. Spinach is hard to keep from growing.
The most trouble I have had so far is with the curcubit family. Cucumbers grow easily but the leaves are susceptible to aphids. Gonna try basil between them. Neem does not work well enough. The leaves of squash and zucchini are susceptible to fungus, as are melons. You have to catch it very early and control it with dishwashing liquid, cooking oil and water mixed to exact recommended proportion..
Caterpillars and worms love tomatoes. You have to plant basil in between to repel them. Neem extract works but homemade is trial and error wrt to strength.
EVERYTHING else has been a breeze!
But it is best to start from seed as seedlings may already have been stressed before you buy them. Only my basil, spinach, okras, cucumbers and eggplants grew well from seedlings so far.
Rain forecast for a couple of hours every morning for the next two weeks..
Less work for me and more produce.
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Source: Nation
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@Donna “I have discovered that nobody should buy basil. The things just love to grow and no pests bother them. Herbs on the whole are easy. Everybody should grow their own.. Nobody should buy celery…”
I’ve also had an excellent experience with basil. It grows so well for me that I don’t need any excuse to throw some in the pot, and every time I clip some I get more new growth. My experience is that the monkeys tend to leave herbs alone, but they do like chives and the flat leafed garlic chive as well, so I plant chives both at home and at the plantation since chives grow so easily I can still harvest more than enough for me and some to give to family/friends/neighbors, even after the monkeys have taken “their share.”
Celery seems to hate me. Zero success so far. But I will try again. I don’t like defeat, and I don’t easily accept it.
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Strokes could hit stressed-out Bajans, experts warn – Strokes could hit stressed-out Bajans, experts warn: https://barbadostoday.bb/2021/02/25/strokes-could-hit-stressed-out-bajans-experts-warn/
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Cuhdear Bajan,
My celery died. That was from seedlings. My second set was from seed. It took a little while but I have enough to give away. Somebody said I have enough to sell.
I don’t take defeat in the garden either. So I now have squash bearing on the third try. Third time lucky with thyme. Third time lucky with beets and carrots. Had to start from seed rather than seedlings and plant straight to bed. Third try at sugar baby in progress.. Third time zucchini still fighting on. Hot peppers still to be conquered. Cantalope also.
Emerald City Supermarket now sells seedlings so I bought some string beans yesterday.
I intend to grow just about everything for my own consumption.
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Planted a few beans at home yesterday. Still harvesting some from the first and second planting. Ate some, gave away some to close family. Still have quite a bit of frozen and dried produce from last year’s crops. Next week I will continue clearing the “plantation” of weeds in preparation for ploughing in April.
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A number of young people waiting for land to pursue their agriculture careers could soon receive a call from the authorities.
https://barbadostoday.bb/2021/02/27/more-land-being-allocated-for-agriculture/
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Is that not what I told John Knox who judged the interest of young people by those present at and absent from farmers’ meetings? Got my finger on the young people’s pulse. Agriculture is becoming “sexy”. Slowly but surely.
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Source: Nation
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Agricultural land.
https://www.barbadospropertysearch.com/for-sale/thickets-plantation
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Hants,
Following that Thickets story with interest.
Been watching a BBC documentart called Follow the Food. Urban farming on rooftops, underground parking lot mushroom farming, mussel farming, seaweed farming, indoor computerised vertical farming complete with robots. Drones collecting data over fields.
Interesting stuff! Food security is not a pipe dream if one embraces technology and innovation. Higher yields and lower costs are possible.
Learnt a new monkey trick – guttaperks and marbles from Carters of all places! I am told they are sturdy and worth the $30.
Murdah!
I wonder who makes the guttaperks?
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@ Donna,
Ask your son to make one for you. ( bicycle tire inner tube and a y handle cut from a clammy cherry tree )
Google ” sling shot “.
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This one, I am told, is more sturdy and durable and carries a harder punch. I laughed when my cousin told me about her purchase. I figured I would make my own as I did as a girl although I never shot any living thing with it.
i’m sure my son could make one, though I suspect it would be his first. He used to spend all day making Star Wars weapons and body armour, helmets and all tyoes of guns.
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@Hants
Amazing.
We grew up with guttaperks/sling shots.
Have to give the gentleman an A for salesmanship. I like the high level of marketing, but I think it is much ado about nothing. This is perhaps the ‘one toy’ that is resistant to meaningful changes.
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@ TheOGazerts,
I intended the video for Donna and her son.
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As Parliament was amending the law to lighten drug possession penalties on Friday, the Prime Minister scolded Barbadians for their “addiction” to macaroni pie, pigtails, alcoholic beverages and other “bad habits”.
The PM drew on her own current love for the heavily salted meat and her past love of cigarettes, as she expressed concern that Barbadians continued to be addicted to several unhealthy food choices.
https://barbadostoday.bb/2021/03/06/pm-mottley-concerned-about-bajan-addictions/
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Hants,
I do not have a monkey problem at present but I do have a dirty dog problem
Sooo…. the mad woman has been sitting hidden in her patio for an hour now waiting with two big rocks.
Instead of walking their dogs, the people in the development area have taken to letting them loose to stool on other people’s property.
I aim to catch the culprits with their pants down. I’ve been practising my throw.
One dog comes between 5 o’ clock and 6 ‘o clock. The other comes around 9 o’ clock.
On the upside, i now wake without prompting at four o’clock, rearing to go! Stay outside until 10 o’clock taking care of the garden.
There is indeed a silver lining in every cloud.
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Wow! The sunrise is magnificent!
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The Dereck Foster-led board of the state-owned agricultural marketing agency has suspended its Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Dr Brian Francis.
https://barbadostoday.bb/2021/03/09/board-and-ceo-lock-horns-over-handling-of-employee-dismissal/
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The newly appointed female Chief Agricultural Officer Keeley Holder talks about what is required in the POST COVID economy.
Source: Nation
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Ministry starts ‘monkey hotline’
https://www.nationnews.com/2021/03/12/ministry-starts-monkey-hotline/
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Keely wukking?
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This is good news. Very good news.
Source: Nation newspaper
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Source: Nation
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So yuh call de monkey hotline, then what?
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“Spring” is here.
Plenty of blossoms and some “baby” fruits on the mango, pear and breadfruit trees.
The spinach plants which had “died off” have started to put out tiny new leaves, so I cut off all of the dry bits and added some new soil and fertilizer to the roots.
The yams, even those in the baskets in the kitchen waiting to be cooked have started to grow vines, which means the yam wants to be planted outdoors.
Still it is the dry season. Although we are still getting a few very brief showers most nights.
The rainy season begins in 10 weeks.
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My sweet potato slips are 6 inches and have been transplanted to small pots where they will grow for the next 6 weeks. My ginger all have shoots. Put them outside to catch some rain will bring them back in tonight to evade the -2C. The tomatoes are thriving under the grow lights. The Bajan spinach just put out shoots. Everything looking good for this May’s planting.
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Good going Dame Bajans.
I’ve never planted plum tomatoes before, but I checked today and baby tomatoes are beginning to form, so far just as big as the tip of a little finger.
I’ve read that in order for a sweet basil plant to continue flourishing and not go to seed that the flowering buds should be pinched out. I did NOT do so, and a couple of days ago I noticed that the flowers are attracting plenty of bees. I am glad to have the bees to help in the pollination of the cucumbers, tomatoes, and string beans so I will not pinch out the basil flowers. I’ll just plant a new basil and leave the old one to keep the bees happy, as I’ve found that basil is so easy to grow.
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The Dame is well ahead of me. Good for her. I have no where protected to store seedlings. If I can grow basil anybody can!! lol
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@ NO; I have a slim table near a south facing window where I place my seedlings. I also have a ‘heat pad’ that I use when I am starting the seeds. My house was built in the early 80’s when the walls had to be 6 inches thick, so I have wide window sills that I also use when I transplant to pots. The large garden centre in my area closed last fall, so I have to start many plants.
@Cudhear:
I have a basil plant on my front window seat (I have a box window with a 16 inch seat) since last fall. Every two weeks I have to pinch flower heads. I let some mature and harvested the seeds which I will sprinkle in the herb garden later. When I pinch the flowers the plant sends out more branches. So, I have had to prune it back, too bushy. I have the leaves drying.
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I have plum tomatoes so sweet and plentiful that I started biting into them as a snack like I did during childhood before they became almost tasteless.
Fresh is best for sure!
Got sweet cherry tomatoes too!
Got sweet potatoes so pretty that the breadman joked that I must have painted them.
Lawson sure got it right when he named me Eggplant Whisperer because the same eggplants are bearing like rabbits again. They have not really stopped for months and months and months.
Got pigeon peas, squash, lettuce, cabbage, sweet pepper, bananas, carrots. Enjoying my lemongrass tea.
The celery is taking over the bed and crowding out the parsley. I had to start giving it away. Giving away some kale tomorrow. There’s too much of that too. Giving away spinach seedlings and banana suckers. Too many of them and they are flourishing and growing like weeds. Got one pomegranate only and one honey dew melon so far. Got pumpkin, string beans, cassava, cucumber, okra, beets, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, chives, garlic chives, sage, thyme, marjoram, basil, oregano, dill, bunching onions, onions, coriander, pineapple, radishes, chinese cabbage all coming along nicely and some ready for use.
Going to plant some ginger, garlic and sorrel. The yam in the kitchen basket is sprouting. Time to plant it out. Bought me another pineapple. Going to plant the top. Trying to figure out where is the best place to plant the corn patch.
No blossoms on the old mango tree as yet. Old sour sop catching itself after pruming, fertilising and watering which I never did for all of the 17 years it’s been mine. Old coconut tree still bearing. New sugar apple tree growing slowly as well as the lime tree. The wind burnt the larger pawpaw tree leaves until I had to pull it up. The smaller one lives on just barely with only a few leaves. I get the strong salty air straight off the Atlantic. All the leaves are feeling the burn.
I am growing basil between my plants now. I’ve been pulling off the blossoms but the bees do love them, it is true so perhaps I’ll leave them as well. Not many bugs attacking my plant leaves. I have even been able to ease off the neem spray.
Discovered only this week that a cousin of mine has taken up beekeeping. He is bringing me a hive. He will tend it and share the honey with me fifty:fifty. All I am providing is the space for the hive. So that queen bee that keeps disrespecting my garden by sending only one or two bees at a time will be out of business.
Kick restarted two of my cousins by sending my Rastaman cousin to fork up their beds. He is going to mix some cow dung in. He says once he does that he has no need to fertilise after planting. Going to get him to hatch whatever seedlings they want. I’ve got about forty packets of seeds of just about everything. Hatching for another cousin and the cousin of a cousin right now.
I have realised that my mother’s family loves growing produce, raising livestock, fishing, diving for shell fish and now beekeeping. Sooo many of them! Now I think about it I realise where it all came from with me. It’s in the genes.
So much planting going on up this side you would not believe!
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Oh David, why is my innocuous garden comment awaiting moderation?
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This morning I had to deal with a tobacco worm/Manduca sexta, as big as my little finger munching my tomato plants so I’ll have to keep a sharp daily watch on them. Tobacco is indigenous to Barbados, so I expect so is this pest.
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@SS
use Btk, it is safe and effective. Those little buggers (and their cousins) love cabbage and broccoli too, and can do a job on peppers too.
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Cuhdear Bajan,
You dealt with one and I dealt with twenty in one day. Did not know that’s what they were. Just looked them up online. After that I checked my tomato plants four times a day. Killed a few more and that was that.
Now going to look up Btk in case they ever return.
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https://m.facebook.com/CBCNews.bb/videos/299303804947755/?refsrc=http%3A%2F%2Fcaribbeancricket.com%2F&_rdr
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Thanks Northern. I’ll add Btk to my shopping list.
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Pingback: Rekindling that Old time Community Spirit | Barbados Underground
Source: Nation
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Heard a humming so loud this morning I thought I already had a hive in my palm tree! My bees are back full force Saw a ladybird last week. I guess they will also return. Butterflies on the decline at present. Less prettiness but fewer devoured leaves as well. I get to ease up on the neem spraying.
The spinach seeds have gone so the birds have taken to my plum tomatoes and sweet peppers big time. Had to put a net over the tomato plants. Gotta find something for the sweet peppers.
Found out that my old mango tree has tricked me AGAIN by bearing on the high and far side. There are not only blossoms but also mangoes. On closer examination I discovered that the old soursop tree has put out a soursop as well.
The banana plant is leaning with the weight of the bananas. Had to cut some of the bananas green. Got to prop the plant up.
Checked my last post and realised I forgot to mention the carrots.
The lawn man remarked that I hardly needed the market. I replied that that was indeed the plan.
“I love when a plan comes together!”
Hannibal Jones ( The A Team)
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Uh-oh! Got my Smiths and Joneses crossed!
The Pooping Prowler is disturbing my rest!
Last time I saw him was three weeks ago at 5.30 a.m. when I did not have my guttaperk in hand. Instinctively, I charged at him like a bull before he could make his deposit. The big bad dog that scares other people took of like scaredy cat.
But… he ain’t no elephant so he was lured back by the smell of freshly cut lawn.
He left his calling card yesterday just as I slipped inside at 6.15 yesterday morning when dry taps foiled my attempt to water the garden.
The bull is ready to roll again!
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Correction- took OFF
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Surely, the dog has an owner that you can complain to or there must be an SPCA that you can call.
Was that a purchased gutterperk or home made.
Sounds as if you and cuhdear are living the good life. Keep it up.
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TheO,
The dog is a big dog that the owner, knowing the average Bajan’s fear of strange dogs, is allowing to roam free against the law. That dog is most likely not pooping at home. There are not so many vacant lots in his area. We can already assume that the owner does not give an RH. I am not about to walk all over the place trying to find out who the owner is just to discover what I can reasonably deduce.
I could call the dog pound but the dog may end up being put to sleep.
So instead I wake up at four, drink my own lemongrass tea, commune with God and Nature, read the news, do some crossword puzzles and word coach, listen to some wonderful music I had forgotten and do my gardening early. And dance while I garden, to the amusement of the early morning walkers. Nice interactions.
Seen some beautiful sunrises, heard all the delightful animal sounds magnified and without the interference of mechanical noise pollution.
MADE LEMONADE FROM DOG LEMONS!
My brain fog will clear up after my body adjusts to my new and improved schedule.
P.S. I got lazy and bought the guttaperk. It is made of sturdy material and looks like a keeper.
I just read a news report that says the AG demands that we STAY INSIDE between 9.00pm and 6.oo a.m. now adjusted to 5.oo a.m.
If that wording is correct, it means I am breaking the law.
I do not step outside the boundaries of my property. I ent going inside when a police car passes or if the Acting Inspector passing here to head home because…..
I would love to test that one in court!
Dem would have to be RH drunk!
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The Barbados Water Authority (BWA) wishes to advise customers in St. Philip and Christ Church that today Monday, April 5 it is carrying out repairs to a ruptured 16-inch main in Fairview, Christ Church.
https://barbadostoday.bb/2021/04/05/bwa-reports-burst-on-large-main-in-fairview-christ-church/
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@ Donna and Cuhdear Bajan. Plant a Bajan Cherry tree.
” Acerola (Malpighia emarginata DC.) is one of the richest natural sources of ascorbic acid and contains a plethora of phytonutrients like carotenoids phenolics, anthocyanins, and flavonoids. There is an upsurge of interest in this fruit among the scientific community and pharmaceutical companies over the last few years. The fruit contains an exorbitant amount of ascorbic acid in the range of 1500–4500 mg/100 g, which is around 50–100 times than that of orange or lemon. Having a reservoir of phytonutrients, the fruit exhibits high antioxidant capacity and several interesting biofunctional properties like skin whitening effect, anti-aging and multidrug resistant reversal activity. Countries like Brazil, realizing the potential of the fruit have started to exploit it commercially and have established a structured agro-industrial based market. In spite of possessing an enriched nutrient profile with potent “functional food” appeal, acerola is underutilized in large part of the globe and demands greater attention”
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My aunt has a cherry tree growing at the end of her drain before it goes into the gully. The tree bears year round. I never knew that before. There was one at the back of Edgewater Hotel that grew the largest cherries I have ever seen. they were sweet even when green. In St. Vincent I saw some growing wild. They call them bird cherries and don’t eat them. I picked some and my friend did as well.
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I don’t have a cherry tree. Planted one once but it did not thrive. I may try again. However a cousin in my natal village has one. It hangs over her fence nearly into the road. She tells us “help yourself, don’t ask me.” It bears so abundantly that even though it is near to an elementary school, lol! we still get plenty.
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Source: Nation
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Hants,
My grandmother had one growing next door years ago and it grew the biggest and sweetest cherries I ever had. It was irrigated by water from her shower drain pipes.
Place is rented out now so I don’t know if it is still there. I must ask my brother.
I had actually forgotten about cherries. I will surely plant one soon.
Meanwhile…. I just saw a beautiful sunrise and I am off awatering.
Planted some ginger, turmeric and yam yesterday.
Feeling irie!
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I went to the garden yesterday and checked my garlics. They are all up. I removed some of the mulch and left it betwwen the sprouts. Today I am going to fertilize them.
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Planted beans on February 25th. Began harvesting on April 13.
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Inspirational.
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