"Food Justice": Ital & Organic Agriculture in St Bess

Treasure Beach Forum: TB Runnin's: "Food Justice": Ital & Organic Agriculture in St Bess
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Zed on Friday, August 13, 2010 - 09:08 am: Edit Post

Agri-Tourism: (from a Frommer's Article that refers specifically to Jake's, but applies to several other properties in Treasure Beach)

American palates (have) become more adventurous, international, and conscious of where our food comes from. In response, resorts are starting to make their own practices more transparent to guests. A place like Jamaica, for example, offers an abundance of indigenous fruit, vegetables, and seafood, and a number of properties there are putting more local, organic, seasonal food on the menus, and making a commitment to practices that encourage sustainability.

Treasure Beach, is situated between two great spots: Pedro Plains, referred to as the breadbasket of Jamaica, and Pedro Keys, known for its fertile fishing waters, so all the seafood it (Jake's) serves is local.
In the kitchen, about 90 percent of its produce and 80 percent of its meat is local and fresh. Your morning orange juice at Jake's comes from locally grown organic groves; mangoes are especially abundant. Notably, Jake's has an arrangement with Treasure Beach Ital Farmers Association (TIFA), which keeps its kitchens stocked with organic foods. The farm is about five miles away and provides a weekly supply of scallion, needed for rice and peas, and a seasonal array of arugula, herbs, lettuce, bok choy and salad greens.

More importantly, the endeavor has paid off in a multitude of ways, much of it in spite of the fact that the farmers did not receive incentives to go organic, according to Liz Solms, agricultural activist and the founder of TIFA, whose background includes time with Slow Food Movement.... Guests can experience those foods firsthand by taking a kitchen tour, a cooking lesson, or by joining a local fisherman and eat what you catch that day.


Farm Dinners, New Age Agri-Tourism
http://hospitalityjamaica.com/news1.html

The 'Bess' Farm Dinner
www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/food/The--Bess--Farm-Dinner_7713486

Treasure Beach Ital Farmers Association: "A Food Treasure to be Saved"
www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20080508/cook/cook2.html


Organic Initiative for a Sustainable Caribbean
www.organicinitiativecaribbean.org/AboutUs.htm


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Zed on Friday, August 13, 2010 - 04:55 pm: Edit Post

Some nice photos of the Farm Dinner held at Dool McClean's grounds in Round Hill-St Bess.

www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100813/social/social1.html

JOAM: Jamaica Organic Agriculture Movement
www.joamltd.org/about_us.html


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By axel on Friday, August 13, 2010 - 02:45 pm: Edit Post

and Jakes is not alone-we(Marblue) are cooking since years with organic products,free roaming poultry,fast and Vitamin-saving methods-and much more.In the new season we will offer a "GLUTEN "free-menu .


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Van on Friday, August 13, 2010 - 03:56 pm: Edit Post

Jakes and Jack Sprat's are great, but there's so many wonderful cooks and places to eat in TB. Can't wait to get back to Diners Delite, Winsome's, Smurfs, Delvin's, Morris'. And we'll try new places, too.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By earthman on Saturday, August 14, 2010 - 05:21 pm: Edit Post

I love the trend. Ital is vital. Keep it going.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By for our health on Saturday, August 14, 2010 - 01:29 pm: Edit Post

jamaicans have eaten organically for centuries, and it is relatively recent that we have gotten off the track - with fast foods, growing produce with pesticides and serving up detrimental "snacks" (especially to our young).

think practically and sensibly as we are all capable of doing .. and get back on track.

one does not have to spend a huge amount of money to eat organic or healthily.

and remember:
you ARE what we eat.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By dj on Sunday, August 15, 2010 - 11:10 am: Edit Post

Hey VAN, are you saying that all those restaurants you listed use organically grown food?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Van on Monday, August 23, 2010 - 05:08 pm: Edit Post

Dear dj. No, not necessarily, just good and fresh.