July 20, 2007 — The V.I. Agriculture Department broke ground Friday on its plans to develop farming in the area of Coral Bay, St. John.
Agriculture Commissioner Louis Petersen Jr. told the nearly 20 people who gathered at the Legislature building to learn about the program that farmers had to adhere to the department's guidelines. "Come with a business plan," he said.
Plans should include what the farmers intend to grow, how they intend to grow it and what they expect as a return on their investment, Petersen said. The business plans should be turned into the Agriculture Department in Coral Bay by Aug. 31.
Farmers must have time to spend on their farms and some money to invest in making them work, he said. The Agriculture Department plans to lease quarter-acre plots on the 3 1/2 acres adjacent to the Agriculture Station in Coral Bay. The station and old rum-factory ruins sit on a half-acre of land next to the land proposed for farming.
"We're speaking of farming as a business," Petersen said. Farmers should plan on growing what he termed cash crops — hot peppers, green peppers, tomatoes and eggplant, he said, also mentioning collard greens, lettuce, thyme and scallions. "They're in high demand by local consumers," he said.
After "Trinidad" Charlie Deyalsingh mentioned that some of those crops need refrigeration, Petersen said that amenity would evolve as the farming project took hold. The department hasn't decided who would get what parcels, but promised it would be equitable, he said.
The department plans to hold a training session in September. Petersen said he expects the land to be cleared and the perimeter fencing installed by Oct. 1. The well water at the site was tested and found suitable for irrigation, he said.
"And the soil looks good," Petersen said.
While the department hopes to help as much as it can, it faces financial challenges, he said. This means the farmers must be prepared to invest some money in their projects, he said.
"We want to help farmers help themselves," Petersen said.
The department hopes to build a market for the farmers to sell their crops, Petersen said, urging them to develop a cooperative to better market their products. In response to a discussion about using chemical fertilizers, Petersen said the department encourages environmentally friendly techniques.
All the land from Reef Bay to Estate Carolina, including the rum factory and the land about to be parceled out to farmers, was once owned by the Marsh family. Florine Fluhler, a Marsh by birth, brought to themeeting a 1941 photo of herself as a child with the rum factory in the background.
"In case you have some money to restore it, I'd like to see my family land not forsaken," she said. Petersen said he envisioned using the restored rum factory as a visitor's center.
He urged those at the meeting to tune into the Agriculture Department's Saturday morning radio show, "Fresh from the Farm." It airs from 7 to 8 a.m. on radio station WSTX at 970 AM.
For more information, contact the Agriculture Department on St. John at 776-6274.
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