Interns experienced hands-on learning at Twinstod Farm by Emerald David

Day 15 – During the interns visit to Twinstod Farm owned by Twin I Payne, he spoke extensively about his over Twenty-five (25) years of farming experience. His love and passion for farming started from an early age and has grown over the years as he continues to champion the importance of food security, agricultural innovation and sustainable farming practices. He has many achievements to include Winner of the Annual Agrifest Competition held in St. Croix for two consecutive years.

Vegetables grown on the farm are Corn, Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Tomatoes, Eggplants, Okra, Cucumber, Sweet Pepper, Table Squash, Seasoning Pepper, String Beans and Black Eye Peas. He praised local vendors, supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and various businesses for their continued support over the years. Mr. Payne has also had the opportunity to export his produce regionally to Tortola thus placing emphasis on ensuring we aim to be a food secured nation.

Mr. Payne gave insight to the interns about the importance of today’s generation being more involved in the agricultural sector. Agriculture should no longer be seen as back-breaking or demeaning, rather, it can be very lucrative and rewarding. He further emphasized about how crucial it is for farmers to be resilient during this time of drought when agricultural productivity is reduced and can threaten food security.

The Interns were divided into four groups respectively. Each group was assigned various task on the farm. The teams got the opportunity to mold the plant beds, plant okra seeds, harvest eggplants, assist with weeding wild plants from the plant beds and familiarizing themselves with the tractor.

To conclude the days activities, Mr Payne had an interactive discussion with participants answering questions and encouraging the interns on their journey thus far. This visit certainly left a lasting impression as they continue to expose the interns to the fascinating world of Agriculture.