A field of dreams in Pamphret

"Yes, man, dis is my likkle place," he said. I had met Byron the farmer earlier that morning by the side of a roadway in Pamphret, St Thomas. He was setting up his newly crafted bamboo stall with produce freshly picked from his nearby farm.

A mere query on my part about the size of the farm led him to say:

"Mek mi carry yuh go dung deh."

Several minutes and buckets of sweat later, he and I were standing amid shoulder-high okra plants. An impertinent bug the size of a fist tried climbing into my shoes. The second I spotted it, reflexes and a mild shot of panic sent my leg into a rapid kick, catapulting the rogue insect several feet. Luckily, Byron hadn't noticed.

"Is bout a year now mi set up dis likkle farm. Mi want to expand it and plant up some tomato but dat ah lata on," he said.

Pest problems

Casually, I asked if he had any trouble with pests.

"Oh gosh man," he nodded.

"Dem giving mi a warm time."

I looked ahead. There were plants as far as the eye could see. Nothing but green. Then, suddenly, a head popped up. A young boy wearing a red and white T-shirt appeared in the midst of the greenery.

"Is mi likkle bredrin," said Byron. The boy walked over. "School off now, so him learning di work."

The boy gave his name as Cleveland. He yawned.

"Mi love di farming ting, so whenever mi get a chance, mi like show di youth dem how fi do it," said Byron.

Slow day

The three of us walked back up to the roadside stall. It wasn't very busy that day. A vehicle would pass by only every few minutes.

"It slow sometime, but when people get used to mi den it will get better," said Byron. Cleveland was busy straightening coconuts that were set up at the front of the stall.

Byron said he often travels to market in Morant Bay but is no fan of the experience. "Mi do it when mi haffi do it, but too much crowd."

An elderly man riding a bicycle slowed as he approached the stall. He was wearing a khaki shirt and black cap. "Gimme two finger ah banana deh young bwoy!" he shouted. Cleveland sprung into action. He grabbed the bananas and went closer to the roadway. To my surprise and apparently Cleveland's as well, the man didn't stop. Instead, he rolled right by the boy holding the requested bananas. He turned around on the bicycle even as he continued moving.

"Run wid it young bwoy! Mi nuh got no brake!" he yelled.

50m chase

With that, Cleveland took off in hot pursuit of the man on the unstoppable bicycle. It was a chase that went on for at least 50 metres before the exchange of money and produce finally took place.

A sweating Cleveland walked back to the stall and resumed straightening the coconuts.

I asked Byron if he lived in Pamphret. "No, but mi might move come here soon, cause mi like it," he said.

I asked him what he liked about the place.

"Well, it have good soil and it quiet. Nobody nah go too badda badda yuh," he said.

"As a farmer like me, yuh have to be careful where yuh live. The place have to give yuh a good feeling. If yuh nuh do dat, den yuh salt," he said.

I asked Byron if Pamphret gave him that feeling.

"Yeah, man, it feel nice. Mi can know seh di ground good. Pamphret have di right spirit," he said.

Where should Robert go next? Let him know at robert.lalah@gleanerjm.com.

Roving with Lalah is brought to you in association with Stewart's Auto Sales in support of the Richard and Diana Stewart Foundation.

The following is feedback to last week's Roving with Lalah.

Big up yuhself, bredrin. Keep writing. Your readers all over the world depend on you every week.

- Jermain

Another hit! Love it. Love the uniform worn by the band members.

- SKR

Keep up the good work.

- Errol T