Fresh off de boat

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Over the last decade, Barbados has seen an incredible increase in Guyanese immigrants. As a result of harsh economic conditions in their homeland many have come to these shores in search of employment in construction and agriculture. As is the case with most immigrant stories, most Bajans are not at all happy with this situation. While I cannot speak to construction, I know that our young people are not lining up to take jobs in agriculture, so I am very thankful for the Guyanese presence on our plantations and farms. Not only is their presence on the ground and the land, but also as importers of fresh food from Guyana. As such, they have been able to impact the high cost of food locally. For this, should we not all be grateful?
In their defense, many Bajans still have no clue such importers exist. Just yesterday, I heard a woman complaining that "ya just can't find cheap vegetables!" So today I wanted to feature my food supplier Mr Singh who operates from Roebuck Street, St. Michael. Look what I got this morning from Singh's for $8.35.
Local lettuce, sweet peppers, tomatoes, plantains, thyme, garlic and paprika!
Check out his stock today......
Eddoes, Cucumbers, Sweet potatoes
Box of Breadfruit
Mangoes, chili plums, hog plums, pomegranates, ackees/guineps, and plenty limes!
We have not even entered the shop yet, these are on the outside hopefully to lure customers in and it works on me every time. So what's inside Singh's today?









Garlic and cassava
Onions, Butternut squash (note the cheap price), pumpkin
Cabbage and yams


Shelves of papayas, avocadoes, sweet peppers, cabbage,tomatoes, beets,
carrots, sweet potatoes and dasheen/taro.
Don't even think that I'm done......
More dasheen, marrow and bananas






Plenty plantains








Pumpkins and watermelons

You can buy whole or cut. Can you spot the soursop and mammy apples under the table?
The bitter melon is a new food to Bajans but has caught on well. Here with tumeric and more plantains.
Boxes of tumeric, okras, lettuce, hot & sweet/bell peppers.

Chives to be bagged.
So don't think you have to shop in the supermarkets alone. Actually, you will save a whole lot of money by not shopping in the supermarket! Unllike the fruits and vegetables from the main supermarkets which take weeks to be shipped across the seas in cold storage, Mr. Singh receives shipments a few times a week, so everything is super fresh. Look out for Singh's or any of the other such shops popping up around the island. If you can't buy local at least buy regional. After all, our USD$325 million food import bill is no joke.

Let me also share what I brought from the country yesterday. I visited with my aunt who will turn 100 years old in December (fingers crossed and knocking on wood) and picked some fruit from my mother's land.
Acerola/Bajan cherry, sugar apples (soo yummy), soursop and chili plums.

 It is interesting to note that I planted the chili plum tree at my mother's house back in the early 90s and now my children are able to enjoy its fruits.
 Check that sugar apple cracking open with ripe sugary goodness.
 Pomegranates.
 More golden apples, more drink :)
 My kitchen counter laden with nature's blessings.
My daughter couldn't wait!

Til next time, live good and eat well.

Comments

  1. Nonie of the NorthJanuary 15, 2017 at 10:12 AM

    I am a Bajan by heart transplant! I moved there in the '80's with my husband and immediately plunged in to the culture and agriculture - both of us being born white in the US. Unfortunately we can no longer live there and I miss our home there so much and just loved your photos of all the produce and your attempt to help all appreciate what a little Caribbean unity can do!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wonderworld BushApril 19, 2017 at 5:23 PM

    so very glad to bring some Bajan joy your way ,,,hope you make it back soon

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousApril 10, 2024 at 7:43 PM

    Impressive and powerful suggestion by the author of this blog are really helpful to me.

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    ReplyDelete

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