FRUIT FARM TOUR IN BLUEFIELD
The sweet aroma of fresh lemon grass dancing in the air could only mean one thing: we weren’t in Kingston anymore! When we were told that Westmoreland would be our next rural destination, I was excited. I knew for sure I wanted to tap into my inner explorer and try something different.
THE SWEET aroma of fresh lemon grass dancing in the air could only mean one thing: we weren’t in Kingston anymore!
When we were told that Westmoreland would be our next rural destination, I was excited. I knew for sure I wanted to tap into my inner explorer and try something different. With the help of a friend, I found Bluefield Organic Fruit Farm Tour.
The drive from Kingston was long, to say the least, and the team got the opportunity to catch up on some rest. But nothing could prepare them for the tour that awaited. Usually, I trod solo on these adventures, but I was happy for the company. What’s an adventure of this nature without getting lost? We passed the border of Belmont and cleared the town. Keith Wedderburn, owner of Bluefield Organic Fruit Farm Tour, told us to stop, turn back, make the left turn, keep left, and we would see him in three minutes (country time) – we arrived 10 minutes later to see Wedderburn waving and smiling.
DRESSED FOR IT
Boots and sneakers were in trend for the trip, alongside comfortable clothing. Wedderburn started things off by introducing himself, welcoming us all to the tour and giving us a little history about our new environs. Bluefield, he says, is a farming and fishing community which was once a plantation. The particular property that we were
about to explore was owned by the blacks, and continues to this day to be owned by a black man. Bluefield Organic Fruit Farm Tour has been in operation for five years, spanning two and a half acres of land space. Split into three sections – Phase One, Two and Three – we were told that the tour would be an interactive one, with trivia and prizes. If we completed all three phases, there would be a grand prize awaiting, but we could not receive it until we reached that destination.
We learnt of the history and benefits of several trees such as pimento, both male and female, tuna plant, cocoa, guava, thyme, and naseberry. We digested the different names, variations, and functions of fruits such as bananas, plantains, oranges, pines, and more.
GOOD COMPANY
I was very proud of my team who not only remained attentive, for the most part, but displayed knowledge about the organic herbs and fruits for all to see. With Wedderburn’s help, I rubbed the oil from lemon grass leaves and used it as a moisturiser, picked a navel orange, and dug for cassava. As a team, we stopped to indulge in the sweetness of sugar cane, and later drank coconut water for energy to reach Phase Three – we definitely needed that in the blazing sun and hilly terrain. Our grand prize – a refreshingly breathtaking view of the greenery and the sea from on top of the world.
From there, we devoured all the fruits of our labour, while we caught our breath from what was the challenging but fulfilling trek in time: mission accomplished. But then, how would we get back to the vehicle? The brave team carefully made their way down, but I chose the high road, and was personally escorted to the road by Wedderburn via transport.
For more information or if you’re interested in taking the tour for yourself, you can find Bluefield Organic Fruit Farm on Facebook and Intstagram or call 876-373-6435