George Henry, Gleaner Writer
SPALDINGS, Clarendon:
LORNA SELLERS, 33, has watched her parents Joan and Gerald Ebanks of Top Hill, St. Elizabeth, till the soil on their farm from a little girl. However, she did not decide to follow in her parents' foot steps until 10 years ago.
Though not able to cultivate crops on a large scale like her parents, Mrs. Sellers has been producing crops such as sweet pepper, tomato, scallion, turnip, cucumber, thyme and other cash crops on just under an acre of land.
BEST DECISION
She told Farmers Weekly that it was the best decision she has ever made because her efforts have paid off. Mrs. Sellers was proud to say that she acquired most of her assets through farming. The mother of two girls Tricia, 14 and Chanika, 10 said farming has enabled her to finance her daughters' education, build her own house and purchase her own car.
She attended the Ballards Valley Primary School and then Mayfield All-Age where she later trained to become a dressmaker. Her training in dressmaking was successful for the first five years when customers were in abundance. However, 10 years ago when ready-made dresses started to increase in popularity, she realised that sewing was not particularly profitable and decided to engage in farming. Since then, Mrs. Sellers has not looked back. She still does sewing but farming is what she now does full-time with the assistance of her husband, Robin, who assists her on the farm when he comes home from his day job.
LOVES FARMING
"I love farming because it is my livelihood. It is very difficult because I have to get the land ready for the crops, plant the crops, water them, especially when the drought is on, and take very good care of them or else I would lose them and all my money," Mrs. Sellers said. She noted that with the persistent drought in the parish, it had become much more difficult for her as a female farmer, as she had to find more than $4,000 to purchase a truck of water to irrigate the crops regularly.
Despite the difficulties, Mrs. Sellers said she intended to stay in farming for as long as she still has "health and strength" and is urging other women to get involved in the practice.
"I will be in farming for as long as I have health and strength. See I have my house out of farming, I have my little car parked around the back out of farming and I have been able to provide for my family and send my children to school, all out of farming, so I have no regrets."
She is, however, calling on the authorities to assist small farmers in acquiring lands, as well as to allow some form of subsidy on important inputs such as fertilisers, diathene and seeds for planting.
