09-11-2008, 03:16 PM
Despite so much land here being sold off to developers in the last 20 years, there are still several family farms in my country town and they do an incredible, booming business. The crops grown here consist of broadleaf tobacco, various vegetables and fruits. The local grocery store chain buys some of these crops which is how it should be. There is one farm which used to only be open for two months in the spring to sell garden plants and flowers. This year they stayed open until early July because of their continued success. The place is absolutely mobbed daily while open and they have to hire a traffic cop to direct traffic going in and out of the ever-extending parking lot. They have beautiful acreage along a busy, two lane state road which passes through town. Some of the pastoral views here are breathtaking.
For many years the farmers in town have employed Jamaican farm workers. I've occasionally heard heart-warming stories of how well these workers are treated. The latest story I heard is about the Jamaican workers who are employed by the above mentioned farm. This year the farm is open for late summer and fall after closing in early July and they are selling huge, gorgeous mum plants, pumpkins and other related items. The Jamaicans grew all of the mums so all profits from the sale of these mums is being given to them.
Cool!
If things really deteriorate in this country this is the town I want to be living in. It has a good fabric and there is something really special about this place. I never thought I would say such a thing but there it is. We also have a wealthy benefactor who lives in town and he spends a lot of money buying up property so it cannot be developed. I think an acre of land goes for $60,000 these days. He owns a computer business in town which was born in 1976 and has grown immensely since, and he loves to go out and mow the hay fields he purchased to feed the top of the line breeder cows at the farm he bought a few years ago. Hehe. He owns other local businesses as well. He is in the process of buying up blocks of adjoining properties in the town center. Lucky are those who sell to him because he is very generous.
For many years the farmers in town have employed Jamaican farm workers. I've occasionally heard heart-warming stories of how well these workers are treated. The latest story I heard is about the Jamaican workers who are employed by the above mentioned farm. This year the farm is open for late summer and fall after closing in early July and they are selling huge, gorgeous mum plants, pumpkins and other related items. The Jamaicans grew all of the mums so all profits from the sale of these mums is being given to them.
Cool!
If things really deteriorate in this country this is the town I want to be living in. It has a good fabric and there is something really special about this place. I never thought I would say such a thing but there it is. We also have a wealthy benefactor who lives in town and he spends a lot of money buying up property so it cannot be developed. I think an acre of land goes for $60,000 these days. He owns a computer business in town which was born in 1976 and has grown immensely since, and he loves to go out and mow the hay fields he purchased to feed the top of the line breeder cows at the farm he bought a few years ago. Hehe. He owns other local businesses as well. He is in the process of buying up blocks of adjoining properties in the town center. Lucky are those who sell to him because he is very generous.
