‘Me feel good and grateful’ - Farmer thankful for sales during COVID lockdown

Unlike many other farmers who have been drastically affected by the changes in the agriculture sector brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Patrick Bromley has been staying afloat.

"COVID nah affect me one bit, because the people who I sell my stuff to, them still come up here on the hill to me and buy it," Bromley told THE WEEKEND STAR. "About two weeks ago, some people come for plantains and banana. Yesterday (Tuesday) me sell about 10 dozen naseberry and the previous week me sell more than that. When people want things they will come for it."

Bromley, who resides in White Horses, St Thomas, owns approximately five acres of land on which he resides and operates his farm.

He mostly sells his produce to community members who find market for the produce. He said that he prefers that because he is an introvert.

"A people in a the area buy it and bring it go town (Kingston) or elsewhere go sell, and them nuh really left me out. Me nuh really like town and worse, me nuh really like mix up with people so me prefer it that way," he said.

For this same reason, he is not worried about possibly contracting the virus.

"Me nuh bother myself about COVID either because me nuh really go nowhere. Me is a man that love my yard. The most me do a go a shop down the road and come back. My daughter is the one who will go into town and get tings when we need them sometime," he said.

Even so, Bromley still practises social distancing and engages in sanitary procedures when doing transactions from his home.

Over the past three weeks, Bromley managed to sell most of his ready produce.

"Right now, me nuh have nothing too ready yet, other than some more naseberry that me think will sell this coming week. Other things soon ready again still," he said.