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Jamaica 4-H helps to secure Wakefield Primary garden

Published:Sunday | May 17, 2020 | 9:13 AM
Michael James (centre) with his group of volunteers in the string beans plot, planted on the hillside at Wakefield Primary School in March of this year.
Contributed
Michael James (centre) with his group of volunteers in the string beans plot, planted on the hillside at Wakefield Primary School in March of this year.

WESTERN BUREAU:

The Wakefield Primary School in Trelawny, which recently had its school garden raided by thieves, is among a selected number of schools earmarked to benefit from a J$100-million budget that the Jamaica 4-H Club has put aside to fence school gardens.

“Out of bad has come some good for Wakefield Primary School,” said Dr Ronald Blake, executive director of Jamaica 4-H. “Thieves ravaged most of the 41 crops in their school garden so this has prompted us to move in to help protect what is one of 4-H’s most revered projects, the school garden, which started in May 1940.”

According to Blake, Natanish Hines, the 4-H parish manager for Trelawny, played an integral part in getting the school approved for the project. Hines is chairman of Wakefield’s School Garden Project Committee, which includes members from RADA and the Wakefield community.

The plan for Wakefield, being welcomed by the school’s principal Michael James, will see half an acre of the compound being secure with diamond wire perimeter fencing.

“The ravaging of the farm has motivated past students, Jamaica 4-H and parents to come on board to ensure that we will be able to not only go back to where we were but also to expand,” said James. “In addition to the fencing, cameras have been donated and the complete installation is being undertaken by a past student.”

“The cameras will be motion ones with a software, which will allow me to view the farm at any time from wherever I am in Jamaica. An agronomist, Frank Chambers, who is a parent, is bringing his expertise to us.”

According to James, Chambers will not only be spearheading the replanting of crops but will also be introducing the hydroponics farming techniques.

“In addition to the replanting of our crops, Mr Chambers will be introducing the establishment of hydroponics and the planting of herbs. Herbs like mint and lemongrass will be planted,” explained James.

The new development has somewhat cushioned the blow James felt when thieves raided the farm and made off with all the matured crops. According to James, the plan was to reap the crops and deliver them in care packages to the 220 students on the PATH programme.

When J.C. Hutchinson, the junior minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, visited the Trelawny-based school for the launch of the 2020 School Garden Project, he commended the school for what he said was one of the best gardens he has seen.

“I have visited many of the 565 school gardens throughout the island and there is only one other of those I have seen which can compare to this,” Hutchinson told the teachers and students.

–L.J.