BEING 100 not out is quite a milestone and without any medical complications or illness is a blessing for Mildred Agatha Halley of Now or Never Village, Mahaicony, who credits her longevity to God, her family and hard work.

She celebrated her 100th birth anniversary on July 16 and it was a grand event, where the entire village came out to be a part of the centenary observance.

Halley was presented with a plaque for her 100th birth anniversary by the Perseverance Seventh Day Adventist Church and it was indeed a gesture she appreciated.

When the team visited the centenarian’s home, she was seated comfortably on a sofa under the house following a bath. She wore a lovely floral dress and held onto her handkerchief, which is a usual accessory of hers.

It is customary for her to always have her handkerchief in which she keeps her money and she is very comfortable keeping it.

According to her daughters, Halley is the mother of 13, and in her younger days, she became a single parent at the age of 38 when her husband died.

Following his death, she was tasked with raising her 13 children single-handedly and did so via hard work as a rice farmer. She also had a kitchen garden of vegetables and fruits. In addition, she reared her own chickens.

Of her 13 children, only seven are alive today. The elder resides with two of her daughters, who ensure that she is properly taken care of and her meals are up to date.

That day, she wasn’t very chatty, but related that she isn’t a picky eater but prefers fried chicken, ice cream and cold beverages.

As a staunch Seventh-Day Adventist like most people in Now or Never Village, Halley is versed in the Bible and instilled good morals in her children from a very young age. They were taught to include God as part of their lives and going to church was mandatory.

Her daughter, Doretta Halley, stated that her mother’s diet while she was much younger consisted of coconut-based foods and her parents had a fireside or usually, they dug a hole in the ground and cooked meals back then.

Her offspring added that in the ‘black and white days’ the folk ate organic foods and she is of the belief that contributed to her longevity and good health.

Unlike many of us today, we consume a lot of processed foods with additives and preservatives which have some side effects like medications.

Halley is usually not too much to handle and she would relax either upstairs, on the steps or downstairs daily and would even engage in chatter whenever the need arises.

She is the oldest person in the village and since the villagers are all related by blood, the locals would constantly check up on her to ensure she is well.

Halley doesn’t like tea, porridge or soup, but would enjoy biscuits among other fresh foods.

Marvin Shepherd, the farmer
Also in the same village is the home of Marvin Shepherd, whose farm produces one of the sweetest watermelons among other fruits and vegetables.

The father of five told the Pepperpot Magazine that his family left some land and he decided to tap into it and became a farmer, his only source of income.

“If you have land, you have the resource and you cannot punish and say you cannot find work. Life is how you make it,’ he said.

Shepherd only goes to church and doesn’t participate in alcohol drinking and smoking or parties, but would use the time to enhance his environment by planting.

He is not a meat eater and only rears some chickens for the eggs and he used to have some sheep but stopped rearing those.

Shepherd is a rice and cash crop farmer and he has been doing this type of work for as long as he can remember.

“I have a problem with people who refuse to work, but then again, you can live how you choose to and growing up in this village I saw how people live and I patterned myself after my religious beliefs, live simple and farm,” he said.

This farmer likes the village because it is home, the quietness appeals to his lifestyle and the place is very safe with a breezy atmosphere and lots of space.

Shepherd eats what he grows, produces his own coconut oil, and takes the time to eat only organic foods to maintain his health, which he prefers over wealth.

Alletha Halley, the poultry farmer
Alletha Halley is a poultry farmer and a mother of six who quit her day job and became self-employed.

The resident of Now or Never Village told the Pepperpot Magazine that her husband is a vendor in the city and he would buy fruits to re-sell.

When the team visited, he had a fresh stock of bananas. He only cultivates peppers and celery.

“I used to work at Rohan’s Auto Spares but quit and sometimes I would do some domestic working, that is, housecleaning but life is fair here, it is a quiet place to have a simple way of life,” she said.

Linden Shepherd, the farmer
Linden Shepherd is also a farmer and a resident of Now or Never Village, Mahaicony, who has a cultivation of bananas, plantains and peppers.

The 40-year-old would also do day jobs of ‘throwing paddy’ with local rice farmers and he has 40 goats.

However, he is willing to rear the black belly sheep but getting his hands on a pair is difficult.

The father of two reported that he would be pleased if the National Agricultural Research & Extension Institute (NAREI) can visit to access their needs with it being Agriculture Month and all, they are a farming village and a little bit of assistance and guidance is welcomed at any time.