By Michel Outridge
JADE Hudson is perhaps the oldest resident of Cuffy Dam, Friendship, East Bank Demerara. She is a very friendly person with a bubbly personality and the spirit of a teenager.

The 87-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that she has been living in the village since 2001 and she occupies the home of her sister, Yvonne Williams, one of the founding members of the co-op society who passed away three years ago.

Hudson is originally from Aruka River, North West District, Region One (Barima-Waini), but was living in Berbice before she moved to Cuffy Dam.

Things were going well for the elderly villager in terms of taking care of herself, doing her own cooking and cleaning. Until February 10, this year, she was holding a rake in the yard about to pile up some fallen leaves when she reportedly fell.

She received an injury to the hand and it has since been challenging for her to fully use that hand.

Hudson related that these days her house is filled with her adopted grandchildren and her grandson and his girlfriend, who would assist her with the cooking and chores.

She stated that she had two sons, but both have since passed away, and she is separated from her husband, but they still maintained good relations over the years and he would often visit when he is not working.

Hudson has seven adopted grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

The elder explained that she spent many years in the interior with her husband, a prospector.

She recalled when she first moved: the village was a mud dam, a track leading into the village and they had no facilities.

Hudson said it was until 2008 they had an upgrade in the road and they benefitted from electricity, potable water and landline phones with internet.

Hudson reported that she stopped visiting the hinterland about 30 years ago and she basically resided in the city mostly. She feels really at home in Cuffy Dam surrounded by people, family and friends.

“I like to do things for myself, so not being able to cook and clean is quite a bother for me, but I does still use one hand to make my own coffee in the morning which is one of the little things I enjoy doing for myself,” she said.

Hudson is a one-of-a-kind person, so full of life and always smiling and she seems contented with life and what it has to offer.

Rajpattie Stoll, the poultry farmer
Also in the same village is the home of Rajpattie Stoll, a poultry farmer who is well-respected in the community.

The 63-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that herself, husband, Rudolph, 68 and her son have a farm and a hatchery with Muscovy ducks.

Stoll added that her husband began farming in Cuffy Dam in 1993 and they moved in the village in 1994 and lived in a small wooden cottage that was flooded in 2005.

She stated that she is from Moruca, but grew up in Alexander Village. Her parents were farming on Hogg Island, Essequibo River.

Stoll is the mother of two and has an adopted child. Collectively, they operate a farm and a poultry business from their home.

She explained that they operate the hatchery, sell ducks and ducklings, that is, herself and son, while her husband has his farm.

Stoll reported that they used to rear pigs and sheep, but stopped because of challenges and also reared some boiler chickens and sold eggs in the past.

The elder added that they were planting cherries on a large scale and used to supply Topco with cherries to make local fruit juice, but they had to quit because they were not getting workers to pick the cherries.

Stoll explained that they constructed a shadehouse and began growing many vegetables, fruits, seasonings and coconuts.

“I don’t buy greens, seasonings or fruits, because everything that is needed for the kitchen we grow and it is organic and wholesome,” she said.

These days, crops are sold to a wholesale buyer who would visit when they harvest and do not go to markets to sell produce.

Stoll used to sell plucked chickens and eggs, which she took to the city, but stopped because of challenges.

“After the major flood in 2005, we haven’t had any such since and we cultivate one hectare of land and we have different sections for our ducks and hatchery. I like it here because it is very tranquil and there is space to do things to earn right from home,” she said.