By Francis Quamina Farrier
AS a country boy growing up in McDoom Village, which is the northern neighbouring village of Agricola on the East Bank Demerara, most of the people did gardening. It was part of the culture of rural British Guiana. The adults and the children found much pleasure in tilling the soil and planting a wide variety of cash crops. Among them were bora, okra, bolounger, squash, tomatoes and others, which were the more popular ones.
The agricultural efforts of those small farmers resulted in practical solutions for their limited financial status. Most of the working people of the day, including government workers such as teachers, nurses, postal workers and those employed in other government departments, received rather small salaries in those colonial years. While there were the self-employed, such as carpenters, joiners, and painters, the majority of the residents of McDoom and Agricola were employed at low-paying jobs. As such, receiving what was usually a meagre income, the majority of the people of the two villages lived a simple life. Some were even living what was referred to as a “hand-to-mouth” existence.
Most likely, because of their financial situations, the people of McDoom and Agricola, who had sufficient yard space made a kitchen garden a necessary project. Most homes had gardening tools such as cutlasses, forks and spades. Property owners, and even those who were renting, possessed everything which was necessary and useful for working in the fertile soil and reaping the rewards of their efforts. Back in those early years of my existence, I learned from the older folks who taught the younger generation by doing and showing. They demonstrated in practical ways.
It was a culture. Their practical teaching style demonstrated to the children how to partner with the soil, which produced bountifully when done the correct way. An important element is knowing where and when the right crops are planted. There is, of course, the challenge of floods. Here is where some anti-flood elements should be included, such as raised boxes, as is shown in the accompanying photograph. Of course, there is a cost factor to that, but it will be a good investment. The rewards are much more guaranteed. Being engaged in kitchen gardening while attending primary school, was a most wonderful extracurricular activity. After all these years, I still remember how much joy that worthwhile activity brought to students -myself included.
