By Nathaniel Stewart, Gleaner Writer 
Vivian Thomas tending to one of the three coconut plants
produced by the coconut he planted. - Nathaniel Stewart Photo
MAY PEN, Clarendon:
VIVIAN 'BINGI' Thomas considers his competence in his trade as a welder but his love for farming has always prompted him to cultivate a few crops.
It was this motivation that led him to plant a coconut tree at his home in New Longsville, Clarendon, almost three years ago, but Mr. Thomas got the result he never dreamed of - one coconut producing three separate shoots.
According to Thomas Burton, deputy executive director of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), this is an unusual occurrence. "It is not normal," he told Farmers Weekly on Thursday, adding that of the three 'eyes' at the top of the coconut, only one is usually fertile enough to produce a shoot, and this shoot would eventually grow into a coconut tree.
Meanwhile, Mr. Thomas said he was very excited about the 'mysterious' coconut on his property. "I have never seen anything like this before," he said. He noted that when he planted the coconut it only had one shoot; a year later, another one emerged and now there is a third.
PLANTS SPARED
However, while Mr. Thomas is elated about this he is happy that the plants were spared during the passage of Hurricane Ivan in September.
Mr. Thomas, who was born in Chapelton, Clarendon, had migrated to Kingston at an early age to learn a skill but two-and-a-half years ago he returned to his birthplace.
He now oversees an acre of stony land in New Longsville, on which he also plants beans, aloe vera and sugar cane.
He advises: "No matter how small plant something, not just for yourself but for others."
Mr. Thomas, who also operates a welding shop has made a cane mill, which he currently uses to extract juice and sell to members of his community.
Buying a fresh coconut
Feel the weight of the nut.
Select only a nut that has, on being shaken, a robust splashing sound indicative of plenty of water.
Examine the soft eye: if the embryo is exposed or protruding in any way through the soft eye, reject the nut as infection and spoilage of the kernel is likely.
Infection that enters through the soft eye spreads very quickly inside the cavity of the nut.
'Old' nuts have a greyish look instead of brown.
Fresh mature nuts have a shelf life of perhaps two months at moderate or low temperature.
- www.cocount-info.com
