Nov. 18, 2007 — Winners were announced Sunday as the 25th St. Thomas-St. John Agriculture and Food Fair at the Reichhold Center for the Arts wound down, after treating thousands of folks to local bounty, hospitality and fun for two days.
Lucien “Jambie” Samuel was named Crop Farmer of the Year and Gary Pemberton took Livestock Farmer of the Year honors.
According to Carlos Robles, UVI Cooperative Extension Service acting director, the final tally isn't in yet, but the event usually draws between 2,800 and 3,000 guests.
Farmers, some of whom had run short on produce late Saturday, had their stands brilliantly restocked. Samuel stood behind his We Grow Food co-operative booth, proudly displaying bright lavender baby eggplants and diminutive sweet green peppers from his Green Thumb Farm.in Bordeaux.
He was pleased about his award, but not overwhelmed. "It's good, we put in a lot of time," he said. "It's a lot of hours."
Samuel was one of the local growers included in an agriculture greenhouse project supported by Fintrac, an international agricultural development firm, earlier this year. Richard W.H. Pluke, Fintrac senior agronomist and entomologist, worked with the farmers as they constructed greenhouses on the hilly Bordeaux terrain.
But they lost their first cucumber crop to aphids. Pulke showed some photos of the plant leaves infested with the destructive mites.
Both men took the lesson in stride. "You must be so extra careful when you work without pesticides," Pulke said.
Samuel was philosophical. "We learned something, and that's the important thing," he said.
Samuel was anything but let down Sunday as he accepted congratulations and sold basil plants, peppers and squash at a brisk rate.
Following is the list of winners:
Nursery Plants
1. 1st Paul Questel
2nd Rudolph Wilkins
3rd Judy Ottley
Arts and Crafts
1st St. Thomas/St. John Woodworkers Society
2nd Tulip Fleming
3rd Delroy Anthony
Livestock
Goats (Buck)
1st Sinclair Hamm
2nd Etien Frett
Goats (Doe)
1st Etien Frett
2nd Sinclair Hamm
Sheep (Ram)
1st Nathaniel Tuitt
2nd Sinclair Hamm
Sheep (Ewe)
1st Nathaniel Tuitt
2nd Sinclair Hamm
Poultry
1st Etien Frett
2nd Larry Boschulte
Poultry (Exotic)
1st Larry Boschulte
2nd Etien Frett
Small Animals (Rabbits)
1st Larry Boschulte
Dairy Cattle
1st Larry Boschulte
Beef Cattle (Bull and Cow)
1st Henry Richards
Swine (Boar, Sow/Gilt)
1st Gary Pemberton.
The fair was sponsored by the UVI Cooperative Extension Service, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Fintrac and the St. Thomas-St. John Agriculture and Food Fair Committee.
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