SN: What went before farming?
AS: Farming has always been my life. I have been farming since I was 7 years old. My stepfather was a farmer and when we would visit him during the holidays in the Canje Creek we would help him on the farm. My sister and I would compete to see who would plant the most sucker plants, it was fun… I really can’t remember anything before farming. Farming is my life.
SN: What took you into farming?
AS: The love of farming. As I said before, I made the discovery, it in Canje Creek. At times we would stay even after the holidays. I knew we had to return to school, but I knew even that early that farming might be my life.
SN: How do you divide your time between farming and family?
AS: I have a lot that I do, but I love it. I have church, family, farm, and time for myself. I wake up very early, prepare breakfast, then before the sun rises I go to my garden. I work on my farm until the sun starts to rise. When it gets too hot outside, I go inside to do chores. When my children, Shamar, Isaiah and Keziah were younger I would prepare breakfast. They now do that themselves. After house chores, if I am not going into the fields with the Extension Officers, I go back into my garden to spend the entire day there. Some days I go to the market early to sell my produce. Afterwards I return home and back to my garden. Whatever time is left I spend with my family, especially at weekends. My husband is also a farmer. Our work schedules are basically the same. I must also take time to look after myself so that I do not lose myself in everything going on around me. It works out… it has been working for years. I am proud of how I have managed my time.
SN: What keeps you anchored to farming: the emotional rewards? the material rewards?
AS: The passion keeps me anchored… the feeling I get when I get up in the mornings and go into my garden to see the progress on my plants. I love seeing plants grow. It is not just the money, it is something that I love. I also love the feeling of sharing my knowledge with other farmers when I am in the fields.
I became a Mentor Farmer through the PROPEL project. I visit other farms with the Ministry of Agriculture’s Extension Officers. I learn from those visits. I share my own experiences as well. Some of the farmers are very responsive to the advice. Others have their own ways. It is a rewarding feeling when I can work in other people’s farms, demonstrating how I do things and learning from them as well.
SN: Tell us about balancing life between farm and family.
AS: You have to find time for family, the farm, and AS: You have to find time for family, the farm, and time for self. As I said before, when the sun is hot it’s time for my family and to be alone. When I’m alone I relax. My Sundays are for Church. I am a Church Leader [and] I’m also president of the Youth Group, and Treasurer of the Women’s Fellowship. All Sunday is spent in Church. I’m back in Church on Wednesdays for Bible Studies.
SN: Tell us about some of the challenges that you have encountered as a farmer.
AS: The rains bring challenges. When it rains we can’t plant. We can’t prepare our lands. Parts of the drainage system need fixing. Farmers also complain about not having markets. The GMC has spoken about a market-led approach… where you identify your markets before planting. I like that approach.
SN: We are told that your involvement in farming goes beyond your own interests. Can you tell us a bit about that?
AS: I spoke a bit about that earlier. I love sharing my experience and knowledge with other farmers. I also gain knowledge from being in the fields. My work as a Mentor Farmer is to visit with Extension Officers and to help advise farmers based on my experience. I go on visits twice weekly. I also attend farmers’ meetings with the Extension officers. It is my way of giving back to farming.
SN: Can you assess for us what you feel you have gotten out of farming?
AS: Everything. Every material thing that I have is down to farming.
All my material possessions are because of farming. As I said earlier, my husband is also a farmer. Our house, car, are from farming. I send my children to school and meet their needs through farming. Farming is also a form of therapy for me. It helps me to relax. If I feel stressed I go to my garden if only to remove weeds. I would also talk to my plants. There are times when my children would come home from school and ask “mommy, why are you talking to yourself” I would tell them I am talking to my plants and they would often laugh.
SN: How do you feel about women, on the whole, being involved in farming?
AS: When we think about a ‘farmer’ we think about a man. That is not the reality. These days more women are getting into farming. When I visit farms with the Extension officers I meet a lot of women farmers here on the Corentyne. The husbands would have their farm in the backdam and the wives would have their garden in their backyards. I want to be an example for other female farmers. I want to encourage more women, especially the housewives, to get into farming.
SN: Tell us about family support.
AS: My family is very supportive. If I have to be out, and there is something to be done on the farm, my husband (Jagmohan Seechun) would help get it done. My children would also help on the farm. They would also go on the farm with their father. Isaiah doesn’t want to do work on the ground. He likes to manage. I’m not sure about the other two, but Isaiah wants to manage.
There have been times when we slept on the farm to ensure wild animals do not destroy our crops. We would set up our tents and have a lamp lit all night. The mosquitoes are usually terrible.
