Clarendon farmer is the ginger king of Jamaica
Nicholas Anderson is still basking in his third straight Champion Ginger Farmer award, the latest given at the recently concluded Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show in Clarendon.
Anderson, who hails from Reckford in northern Clarendon, also took the third place in the Champion Farmer category and was recognised for resilience in farming.
He credits gaining all those accolades to his ardent passion for tilling the soil, something he has been engaged in for the past 15 years.
“I would go to bed and wake up in the morning looking forward to tending to my plants that I grow from nursery to maturity. It’s an overwhelming feeling,” he said.
Anderson fell in love with farming from a young age watching his grandparents
working the field. Now engaged in the same profession, he said his two main challenges are labour and improper road infrastructure.
According to Anderson, when it is reaping time, he uses three to four donkeys per day.
Prepping the land is a challenge, as the road condition is bad, making it impossible for him to use truckers for ploughing. His only option is the plough and cows.
On the good side, he said drought is not an issue for him as most of his farming locations have rivers and springs.
Reflecting on the ginger title, he said it gives him an overwhelming feeling to think that of the many farmers across the country, he is the one selected.
“It just encourages me to go on each day and convinces me that I am doing something great,” he said.
Looking ahead, Anderson said his ultimate dream is to enlarge his farm so that he can create even more employment for others in his community.