Members of the BVI Ports Authority Garden club proudly display their work

With prices soaring and food cost not far behind, the numbers ohave increased more than 8 percent over a one-year period, according to Deputy Chief Agricultural Officer, Arona Forbes.

“We are trying to promote more back-yard gardening, to cut back on the amount of money that is spent on imported food items,” she noted.

Forbes mentioned that come next semester school gardening will be revitalized in   schools with its main focus on short term vegetables which aims to provide nutrients to promote a healthy lifestyle.

She added that not only back-yard gardening should be emphasized on, but farming on a wider scale should be encouraged as well, especially for this upcoming rain season.

“Any vacant piece of land that is available should be utilized to market produce at a commercial level, where a larger population can benefit from local gardening,” she urged.

In light of the many outbreaks of diseases in food, coupled with the no limit hikes to the stave of life, Velma Chung, an employee at the British Virgin Island Ports Authority has decided to introduce her back-yard gardening to her co-workers at the office.

With approval from the Managing Director and the Deputy Director, the participating members of staff were granted a piece of land to create an after work garden club environment through farming.

The club was formed in April 2008 with an aim to enter the 2009 Farmer’s Week competition which is held annually.

The project Gardened off to a good start and from seeds, seedlings, slips and vines, crops germinated into sweet peppers, spinach, thyme, escellion, tomatoes and a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, some of which are already harvested.

Chung who is no stranger to tilling the soil where she resides and has been in farming all her life, an habitual gift that was inherited from her parents and other family members, who hail from the Territory’s ‘bread basket community’ in Carrot Bay.

“We always try to eat something from the ground, we should try to educate people and motivate other companies to form a bond in order to promote a healthier lifestyle,” she urged.

The project consists of 21staff members who are very excited about their produce as they dig, plant and weed together, embracing the opportunity to be connected with nature after a hard day’s work in the office.

“We have a lot of fun, although we worked very hard,” Chung added.

With its main produce of peppers, spinach and okra, staff members are hoping that the project would expand in terms of the size of cultivation to accommodate a wider range of crops in the near future.

“I see us winning Best Backyard Gardening prize for Farmer’s Week next year, that’s what we are working towards.

Plant something, anything, even in a pot, local produce last longer than those bought in the store or supermarket,” she opined.

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