{"id":8220,"date":"2021-03-19T09:15:05","date_gmt":"2021-03-19T13:15:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drealfmgrenada.com\/?p=8220"},"modified":"2021-03-19T09:15:05","modified_gmt":"2021-03-19T13:15:05","slug":"ministry-of-agriculture-meet-the-farmer-pamela-courtney","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drealfmgrenada.com\/index.php\/2021\/03\/19\/ministry-of-agriculture-meet-the-farmer-pamela-courtney\/","title":{"rendered":"Ministry Of Agriculture: Meet The Farmer \u2013 Pamela Courtney"},"content":{"rendered":"

The size of her land has not limited Pamela Courtney\u00a0 from becoming as innovative as she is with her backyard garden, transforming what many may describe as trash: old drums , bathtubs, and containers\u00a0 into planting mediums.<\/p>\n

Pamela\u2019s backyard garden is filled with many varieties of crops: lettuce, tomatoes, cabbages, peppers, and fresh herbs, all of which are incorporated into the family pot. Her meat is also grown at home. \u201cWe try to have a little of everything here. I have goats and chickens here also. I don\u2019t sell my chicken; I slaughter\u00a0 my chickens and sort them into parts for cooking.\u201d\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Courtney, a native of\u00a0 the\u00a0 village of La Poterie, St. Andrew but resides at La Digue, says that her garden has always ensured that she has food on her table.<\/p>\n

Courtney explained how the hobby was developed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen my husband died in\u00a0 2015 and\u00a0 I retired in early 2017, I said to myself, I must get a new hobby\u00a0 to keep myself active, that\u2019s when I decided to get into farming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crop rotation is one of her favoured agricultural practices. \u201cWe try to rotate the crops as much as we can,\u201d she said. \u201c We just harvested some cabbages on\u00a0 one part of the land; we are going to propagate some beet on that area, so we can bring back some of the nutrients that would have been lost,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

This technique according to her, coupled with the use of pen manure is a safer way to grow her food. \u201c I don\u2019t want chemicals in my food, that\u2019s why\u00a0 I use the pen manure. We also water and clean regularly.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The COVID-19Pandemic, she added, has taught her to be more self-sufficient.<\/p>\n

\u201c COVID really taught me a lot. This is the way that I ensured that I have food during the lockdown and it\u00a0 saved me money, as whatever I grow my family eats.\u201d<\/p>\n

The produce from her garden is shared among family members and neighbours and due to production levels one market vendor purchases from her. \u201cVester ( a vendor) was passing one day and saw my garden; she said she wanted some cabbages to buy; from that time she started purchasing from me to sell at the market.\u201d<\/p>\n

Courtney, a retired educator, believes that \u201ceveryone with a little piece of land around their house can plant something; you have to make space. Everyone knows how to clear and prepare the land for planting; make sure you get your plants or your seeds and whatever type of fertilizer you want.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

She encourages persons to start a backyard garden.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that in Grenada the land is fertile. We see a lot of people with land around their homes and it is underutilized. If I can do it, you can do it, as well; it is your choice. It\u2019s a great way to put food on your table, especially if you are a wife or a mother and you are home.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Things to note about Pamela Courtney:<\/p>\n