Champion farmer urges storm prep

With what's expected to be a wild and active hurricane season, Diandra Rowe, the 2023 Caribbean Young Farmer of the Year, is warning fellow farmers to brace for impact and lock down their greenhouses before disaster strikes.

"In preparation for the hurricane, we normally lower our mesh or the insect screen on the sides of the greenhouse. So, that mesh is basically buried at the foot of the greenhouse. We roll the mesh down and then use weighted objects to keep it in place. It's also recommended that you remove the plastic from the top of your structures," Rowe explained.

The champion farmer, who manages Abbey Garden Farm in central Jamaica, says farmers need to clean up their surroundings before the storm even makes landfall.

"It's important also to cut down all trees in close proximity to your structure. Cut down all the trees, make sure you fill up all of your water tanks to avoid them being tossed around or being damaged," she advised.

As it relates to seedlings and vulnerable crops, Rowe said it is important to include them in your hurricane plans.

"Make sure that you have your chemicals, because, after you would have taken off your mesh and your roof [from your greenhouse], your plants would be exposed to the different elements. You'll have to treat for any insects that would have entered your growing space and any fungus. Spraying is important. It's always good to stock up on those items," Rowe said.

"For all the plants that we would have on trellises, we would take those off and lower them. Allow them to lie flat on the ground, and then you'd cover those plants with whatever plastic you would have removed from your roof, so they don't get too much water damage," she explained.

"In addition, it would be wise to reap all your mature fruits, ripe and unripe. Once they're mature, just harvest them, and, if you have a storage [facility], store them appropriately."

But, even with a bulletproof prep plan, Mother Nature can still flip the script, Rowe warned.

"It's very important for us to do what we can as it relates to preparations but it's also important not to stress yourself too much about it. Sometimes you prepare and the preparations that you make ... no matter what you thought the outcome would have been, it's really and truly up to God what will happen. So, just do the best that you can," she shared.