Former IT teacher reaps rewards in farming

Information Technology teacher Daran Pitter traded the classroom for farming, and for him both are similar fields – they require nurturing.

Recalling his own formative years, he said there were a lot of teachers who believed in him and could see his value.

After teaching for three years, he said the profession is of the highest calling and requires all of one’s heart, which he could not deliver.

“There were days as an IT teacher where I longed to be outside in the field. I knew then that I had to make the difficult choice of giving up teaching, and the level of security that came with it, to pursue what I felt I should be doing,” he told The Gleaner.

Being a farmer, he says, comes with a level of educating and learning as well, and he credits the expertise of the elders who has so much to pass on to the younger generation.

When he made the switch, he said most of his family members were supportive, but four years later, he said some of them say he should have stayed in teaching.

On reflection, Pitter said he was always passionate about agriculture and the environment.

“I actually went to college to study environmental studies, but that programme was no longer being offered due to poor enrolment. Nevertheless, I accepted the offer to study BEd (bachelor of education) [in] business and computer. Overall, it was life skills garnered that made me understand leadership and people skills. Plus, I met my beautiful wife; so it was a rewarding experience,” he said.

Pitter started Go-Green fruits and vegetables in 2018, a move he described as a major leap of faith.

His farm is located in Bull Savannah, St Elizabeth, where Pitter grows a variety of crops, such as sweet potato, carrot, watermelon, scallion, tomato, cucumber and sweet pepper.

He informed that he tries to deliver the produce as soon as possible, and that a number of local businesses have become his clients.

It has not been an easy road, as Pitter said his biggest challenge has been lack of a constant water supply. “The fact is, we don’t have water in our pipes; we do not have our own trucking systems as yet; and this greatly exacerbates the struggle,” he notes, pointing out that when the plants can’t get enough water, they have to lower their production rates. This puts a strain he said as labour costs sky rocket alongside the prices of vital materials such as fertiliser and seeds.

“Combating this challenge has local farmers haemorrhaging from our pockets. To survive in the water shortages as farmers, we have to have storage in order to purchase water from trucks that operate. The sad reality is, no water, no production. This directly affects labour cost,” he said.

Pitter said he tries to be innovative and practises sustainable farming. He said they save some of their produce and use the seeds from them. Pitter has recently ventured into livestock and acquired eight pigs.

He said his ultimate goal is to always produce quality products and see his business grow.

“Keep the flow of production, whether in or out of season. To make money to provide for my family and for my employees. To develop my business to boost employment and venture into the export market. To ... develop better skills to empower farmers in production and treatment of various crops/produce.”

Listing his late grandfather as his greatest influence, he said as long as he continues to honour his memory, he will be on the right track.

He thinks he is doing that, as he reflects on moving from having a little backyard garden to being an entrepreneur at the age of 31.