V.I. events will mark National Agriculture Week in territory

ST. CROIX - The V.I. Agriculture Department will showcase local farmers and the fruits of their labor next week, as special events to mark National Agriculture Week hit all three islands.

"We are having a big celebration," said Agriculture Commissioner Louis Petersen Jr. "It's a time when we pause to focus on the industry where our food comes from."

Activities for the week include market days on St. Thomas and St. John; an Agriculture open house on St. Croix, which also will feature a farmers market; and outreach to local schools.

"V.I. Agriculture: Your Food - Your Farmer" is the theme for the week. Petersen hopes to get more people enthused about locally-produced food and farming, as well as show them what local farmers are capable of, he said.

He also hopes the events help facilitate stronger ties between farmers and the community, he said.

The University of the Virgin Islands Cooperative Extension Service, the V.I. Tourism Department, farmers, the Governor's Office and the office of Sen. Shawn-Michael Malone are collaborating with the Agriculture Department in sponsoring the activities, Petersen said.

Market Day on St. Thomas is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Sanderilla Thomas Bungalow in the Rothschild Francis Square in downtown Charlotte Amalie.

Spots at the bungalow have been assigned to various farmers, including some who are coming from St. Croix. Tourism has arranged for musicians to play cultural music, and the Cooperative Extension Service will do demonstrations, Petersen said.

Among the offerings that Agriculture anticipates on St. Thomas are products such as jams, jellies, honey and natural fruit drinks, along with a variety of fruits and vegetables, including kale, lettuce, collard greens, pumpkin, green banana, plantains, culinary herbs, squashes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, okra, string beans and tomato, he said.

Fresh eggs and fresh chicken also will be available, along with fruit trees and vegetable and herb seedlings, he said.

Demonstrations will include grafting fruit trees and container gardening. Organizers also expect to have a glassed-in beehive, Petersen said.

On Wednesday, Market Day will feature farmers offering fresh fruits and vegetables and be held on St. John, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the National Park ball field in downtown Cruz Bay.

On Thursday, the activities move to St. Croix, with an open house from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Rudolph Shulterbrandt Agricultural Complex in Estate Lower Love.

All of Agriculture's divisions will have displays or presentations at the open house, while the Cooperative Extension Service will be doing demonstrations, as well. Topics will include farm safety, guarding the flock, hay baling, preparing land for planting, native tree identification and box gardening, Petersen said.

The open house also will have a market, with fresh produce and products made from local produce.

The event typically draws many students on field trips, Petersen said, adding that the department is working to reach out to young people, with the hopes of sparking interest in agriculture to sustain local farming into the future.

"The youth definitely are our future. Unless we make an effort to involve them, we really have no thriving, bright future for agriculture," Petersen said.

As part of the week's celebration, Agriculture also will make presentations at local schools and is sponsoring a poetry competition for younger students and a video essay competition for high school students on the theme for the week.

- Contact Joy Blackburn at 774-8772 ext. 455 or e-mail jblackburn@dailynews.vi.

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