Thirty-three ( 33 ) year old L’Amour Douglas and his wife Jayleen sees the adaptation of new technologies as a way of maximising production on their farm, increasing their markets, as well as providing food that is “always fresh,” for their customers.
“My mom was the one who started farming; upon completing my education, I joined her to continue our family business,” said L’Amour, the son of well-known farmer, Daul Douglas, of Douglas Farms Limited, St. Andrew.
Douglas Farms Limited supplies a wide variety of local produce. Using well-tested agronomic practices, like drip irrigation, plastic mulch and crop treatment at an early stage, corn, bodi beans, pumpkin, watermelons, and sweet potatoes are among those that can be purchased from the business.
While the farming day can become busy managing 6.5 acres, L’Amour and Jayleen have developed an equilibrium.
“We get to the farm as early as we can; if it is a harvesting day, I will start harvesting, while he would start the pumps. Once we are finished harvesting and we complete the basic stuff on the farm like adding manure or weeding, we deliver produce. I would do the books and he will come back to the farm to work;” said Jayleen, a mother of one.
L’Amour identified his two major challenges: “once the rain falls, we cannot do anything at the back, because of waterlogging and praedial larceny; we have been losing about 100 lbs. of soursop a week because of thieves.”
They plan to include technological advancements such as the use of fertigators to modernise the operation of the farm and improve their sales and marketing. Jayleen, who has worked in both the public and private sectors before joining her husband as a farmer, is responsible for marketing at Douglas Farms.
“We sell to Real Value, Marketing Board, Foodland, local vendors, and little supermarkets that we are familiar with and have built a relationship with,” Jayleen Remarked.
This, she says, is coupled with good business management practices, such as record keeping.
“It is all about keeping record; once a sale is made or we make a payment, we keep all those records. We also ensure that our monies are banked properly, and we treat farming as a business,” she added.
Both Jayleen and L’Amour are supportive of the ideology of youth in agriculture. “It is what brings food on the table and keeps food on the table. Yes, it is profitable, but you have to be passionate about it to make your business successful.”
Things to note about Douglas Farms Limited:
● It was started by Daul Douglas, the mother of L’Amour Douglas.
● L’Amour and Jayleen manage 6.5 acres .
● Drip Irrigation, use of Plastic Mulch, and Early treatment of Pests and Diseases are
best practices.
● They strongly advocate for record-keeping and treating farming as a business.
Persons interested in purchasing from them are urged to call (473) 415-4202.
