Herman Bailey working on his farm in Murrva, near Leeds in St. Elizabeth, recently. - photo by george henry

George Henry, Gleaner Writer

Spaldings, Clarendon:

Herman Bailey is now 56 but the days when his father used to walk him through the fields as a toddler are still vivid.

"Farming is what I grew up in. I have been in it from I was a little lad, because my father usually takes me with him when he was going to his field in Trelawny," said Mr. Bailey.

Now a veteran, Mr. Bailey is enjoying the only work he knows and intends to stay in it.

Over the years he has planted many crops: sweet yam, Irish potato, red peas and plantain. But he loves to grow none better than yellow yam.

Though he has encountered many misfortunes along the way, he has never thought of giving up. He explained that he left Trelawny several years ago to live in St. Elizabeth where he grew yam and plantain on a piece of land near the all-age school in Santa Cruz. However, he had to once again relocate because the owner of the property wanted it.

Determined to pursue his dream job, the energetic farmer relocated to Murrva, St. Elizabeth, where he found another piece of land and now grows tomato, sweet yam, yellow yam, cabbage, carrot, sugar cane, cocoa and sweet potato. As it relates to marketing of the crops, that is not a problem as his wife takes care of that aspect of the business.

"Farming is sweet. It has helped me to see my way out, it has been helping me to build my own house and do other things and I cannot leave it because it is in my blood," boasted the veteran farmer.

The only hindrance to his operation at the moment is the high price of fertiliser and other chemicals.