It’s time again to gather up family and friends and head out to the rolling green hills of Bordeaux for the 13th annual Bordeaux Farmers Rastafari Agricultural and Cultural Food Fair on Jan. 16 and 17.
For years, the Bordeaux family of farmers – the collective We Grow Food Inc. – has worked to make this weekend special with something for everybody. Whether you’re young or old, love music or original art, the Bordeaux Fair is a creative way to spend the day with good, nourishing food, music, dance, art and crafts.
The farmers work the farms all year long, with a monthly market on the last Sunday, but this fair brings out the pride of all their toil. It’s a time to show off and celebrate the year’s bounty.
This year’s theme is "13 Years and You Can Still Depend, Support the Farmers in 2010." During the fair’s opening ceremonies at 1 p.m. Saturday, Paget "Spell" Roacher, who has farmed St. Thomas for more than 20 years, will be honored as farmer of the year.
Gerald E. Hodge Jr., We Grow Food president, said, "The Bordeaux farmers had a rough struggle to start. Clearing the land, building access roads, terracing, setting up irrigation systems, and, finally, cultivating the crops. But, we have continued to produce fresh wholesome food year after year. We are grateful to the government, private donors, the public, and the farmers, themselves."
With the support of groups like GrowVI, the last year has seen an increase in the farmers’ exposure. Along with the monthly markets and the traditional Saturday morning stands at Market Square, many of the farmers haul their produce to the Yacht Haven Grande farmers market the first and third Sundays of the month, a venue more readily accessible for many folks.
Booths will abound with rich aromas of just-picked basil, sage and thyme, along with mounds of collard greens, okra, eggplant, cucumber, papaya, pumpkin and tamarind, spinach and lettuces. The Ital Dub Masters will be serving savory dishes like breaded cauliflower, seasoned brown rice, lentil balls, baked tofu and, of course, the traditional pumpkin soup will be steaming out Jambie’s cook pot.
Those curious to see how this bounty came to be can take a farm tour, led by the farmers throughout the two days. Agricultural demonstrations including beekeeping, drip irrigation, fruit grafting and terracing will be interspersed throughout the fair.
The Fair opens at 10 a.m and closes at 10 p.m each day.
Hosted by We Grow Food Inc., the fair is also funded in part by the V.I. Council on the Arts. Admission is $2 for adults. Children are admitted free. The event schedule is as follows.
SATURDAY
10 a.m. Welcome/ opening remarks
10:15 All Stars
11:30 V.I. energy office presentation
noon Intermission
1 p.m. Farm presentation
1:15 Official Opening Ceremony – Farmer of the Year presentation to Paget "Spell" Roacher
1:30 p.m. Abigeh and comp (jazz band )
2:30 p.m. Spoken word rock collective / poetry corner
3 p.m. Inter-vision Band
5 p.m. Ise-ni-jo dance class
5:15p.m. African fashion show
5:45 p.m. Zolu tribe
6 p.m. Elandjah dance African institute
6:15 p.m. Youth presentation
6:30 p.m. Intermission
7 p.m. Guess dj
8:30 p.m. Raw 4 show
10 p.m. seal up
SUNDAY
10 a.m. Welcome/opening remarks
10:15 a.m. Echo people
11:30 a.m. V.I. energy office presentation
noon Echo people
1 p.m. Honoring ceremony
1:30 p.m. Mongo Niles cultural dancers
2 p.m. African fashion shown
2:30p.m. Ise-ni-jo dance class
3 p.m. Youth presentation
3:15 p.m. Rastafarian reasoning
3:45 p.m. Herbal Reasoning
4:15 p.m. Spoken word
5 p.m. Home grown concert
1. Exodus and company
2. 5 star crew
3. Pablo P
4. Broccoli
5. Judah
6. Smokey d
7. Jalani of bambu station
8. Series King
9. Harry Mo
10. Melome Genge back Black star band
10:30 seal up
Farmer Tours @ 11 am and 3 pm both days
Other demonstrations include:
1. Coal pit
2. Drip irrigation
3. Farm tool use
4. Terrace building
5. Grafting
6. Compositing
7. Bee keeping
8. Tofu making
Live (raw) food prepared
