Female farmer loves tilling the soil

Nestled in cool Point Hill is the small farming community of Fairfield in which yam cultivator Kerisha Facey tills the soil.

Facey, who says "I just love farming", was busy chopping grass with a machete when the STAR news team passed by.

"This is how the land is prepared before we dig it up to plant the yam. The work not easy but, unless you can afford to use a tractor, then digging is a must," Facey said.

The 35-year-old deftly jammed the pitchfork into the thirsty soil and sighed in frustration. She pointed out that effectively using the tool to prepare the soil for planting is an acquired skill.

"You have to use one of you foot as a lever to put pressure on the fork like a gas pedal when it touch the ground. Then you lift and turn the dirt over," Facey said while going through the motions. She explained that her love for tilling the soil was inspired by watching her late grandfather on the farm.

"I learn it (farming) right here on this piece of land. I watched my grandfather dig and plant yam, sweet potatoes, corn and everything here. He died 19 years ago, but I continue the tradition," Facey said. She disclosed that her crops are sold in Point Hill and to vendors.

"The only real challenge here is that we have to depend on the rainfall, as we don't even have water in pipes, let alone for irrigation," she said. Facey has ambitions of diversifying her crops, but water shortage has curtailed expansion plans. As a result, yams and other tubers are the preferred crops, as they are more resistant to drought conditions.

Facey expressed the desire to continue working her 15 acres to continue her independence in fresh food cultivation.

"I am a farmer at heart and have even gone on the Canadian Farm Work Programme where I worked on my knees to pick strawberries. I decided that I only need that one experience, so I never go back. But I am satisfied with doing my farming here," Facey said.