Agro-Tourism - Caribbean Tourism Organization

Issue 19 December 2010
A Tourrism Buulleetin foor CCaribbbbeeaan C Chhiil d dren E m aa i ll :: zz i gg g y @@ c a r i b tt o uu r ii ss mm . cc o m
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Careers in Agro-Tourism 2
Mango: “The Queen of
Tropical fruits” 3
Environmental Corner 4
Career Moves 5
COUNTRY PROFILE 6
Fun Things to do 7
Click this link www.onecaribbean.org/newsandmediacenter/newsletter/makingwaves.aspx
Agro-Tourism
Want
to have some fun
growing or picking your favorite
fruits, cooking some delicious meals,
feeding animals, collecting eggs and
honey or even milking cows? Well, come
with me as we go on an agro- tourism
adventure where we can do all
these exciting things and
have fun!!
Agro-tourism refers to any
activity, business or enterprise
that links agriculture with
products, services and experiences
Linking Agriculture and Tourism
in tourism. It can involve
staying on or visiting a
farm, where the visitor
can watch or help
people grow, harvest
and process fruits and
vegetables like cocoa,
corn, pineapples, carrots,
mangoes and yams; take
care of animals like
chickens, pigs, cows and
sheep; or even participate in
What is
Agro-
Tourism?
agricultural fairs, fruit festivals, and
food and craft markets.
There are many interesting places
where persons can be part of agrotourism
activities in the Caribbean
ranging from: Farm Based tourism,
Health and Wellness Tourism,
Community Tourism, Culinary (Food)
Tourism, Agro Heritage Tourism and
Agro-Trade Tourism.
Join me as we visit some agro-tourism
activities in the region and talk with
an organic farmer in
Barbados.
CONTINUED ON
PAGE 2
Making Waves A Tourism Bulletin for Caribbean Children 1

Traditional Farming at 3 Rivers
Ecolodge in Dominica
At 3 Rivers Ecolodge located in Dominica,
we can visit an organic herb and root
vegetable farm, help out in the local village
primary school, pick coffee and cocoa and
learn to do some traditional farming.
At Cades Bay in St Kitts, let us visit the
local produce markets, go on farm tours,
and visit Mansa’s Barbeque Agro Eatery,
where we can relax and enjoy some tasty
local foods.
How about Buff Bay Valley in Portland,
Jamaica? We can do some fun activities like
camping, hiking on the nature trails, going
on bee keeping tours, and visiting a maroon
heritage site. Why not go down south
where we can visit North West Organics
located in Guyana! Here you can get a tour
of a factory where people turn seeds
Who are Maroons?
Slaves who rebelled and escaped from
their masters!
Maroon
Communities can
still be found in
Jamaica, Suriname,
French Guiana,
Colombia, Mexico
and the United
States.
Nanny of the Maroon -the only female
national heroine in Jamaica
2 Making Waves A Tourism Bulletin for Caribbean Children
Agro-Tourism Activities
Charles Town Bee Farmers
Buff Bay Valley, Portland, Jamaica
Making Cassava bread – North West
Organics in Guyana
collected from the crabwood tree into sweet
smelling oils, creams and soaps; watch how
cassava bread and peanut butter are made,
and later, go on a farm tour where we can
pick organic cocoa to make our own
chocolate sticks. And guess what? We can
even take it back home with us for show
and tell! All these places offer the promise
of a wonderful experience, combined with
education and fun.
Bye for now,
Ziggy
Careers in Agro-Tourism
• Agrotourism Consultant
• Horticulturist
• General Farm Manager
• Organic Farm Manager
• Agricultural Consultant
• Agritourism Professional
• Organic Farmer
• Tour guide
• Bed and Breakfast Owner
• Chef
• Heritage Interpreter
• Agritourism Entrepreneur
• Hand Craft Producer
• Fisherman
• Aquaculturist
Chocolate sticks
made at North
West Organics,
Guyana

Mango
The mango is a fruit from
the Indian Subcontinent.
It grows on many tropical
islands and is often used
for food, juice, flavor,
fragrance and color.
Mangoes come in
different types and
sizes, and can be eaten
either ripe or green.
They are good sources
of vitamins and fiber,
which the body needs
to work properly. One
interesting fact about
mangoes is that they
contain enzymes that
can help soothe the
stomach. These comforting
enzymes help in digestion and are
responsible for that nice feeling we get
after eating mangoes.
On many Caribbean islands such as Trinidad
and Tobago, Grenada, Jamaica, Antigua and
Barbuda and St Croix, mango festivals are
celebrated every year on different dates.
St Croix, for example, usually hosts its
Mango Melee and Tropical Fruit Festival in
the first week of July. At this festive
Easy
Mango
Smoothie
Recipe
: “The Queen of Tropical Fruits”
Ingredients:
event, you will find
lots of fun and
laughter as you
watch people compete
in amusing activities
such as smell and
name the mango
competition, mango
eating competitions,
mango ‘dis and dat’
food competition, and
listening to funny poems
and songs written about
mangoes by school
children like yourself.
There are always lots of
fun games for children to
enjoy too.
Mango festivals are a nice
place for you to learn more about mangoes
and the different things that can be made
from them. There are always lots of
delicious sweet and sour mango treats like
cakes, ice cream, jellies, pastries, juices,
and smoothies on sale for you to eat and
drink.
So, eat and enjoy mangoes; they
really make you feel better!
1 large mango diced and chilled
1 banana
1/2 cup of yogurt
1 cup of orange juice
6 ice cubes
Blend the orange juice, yogurt and banana
Directions: till well mixed. Next add the ice cubes
and mango and continue blending till
mango is mixed in. Pour it in a glass and
enjoy!!
Making Waves A Tourism Bulletin for Caribbean Children 3

Farming and the
Environment
Farming was once an important
part of life in nearly every
country. People need food to
live, and nearly all food comes
from crops and animals raised
on farms. Farming can be both
good and bad for the
environment. It depends on the
techniques the farmer uses on
his or her farm. The impact of
such practices can relate to the
soil, the water quality, the type
of cultivation and uses of the
land. This in turn can affect the
air that we breathe in, cause
soil erosion, and cause plants
and animals to lose their homes.
Organic farming is one
technique that can be adopted
to prevent harmful impacts and
blend in with the environment.
ORGANIC FARMING: the
practice of raising plants
(especially fruits and
vegetables), without using manmade
pesticides, herbicides, or
fertilizers. All sorts of
agricultural products are
4 Making Waves A Tourism Bulletin for Caribbean Children
produced organically, including
produce, grains, meat,
dairy, eggs, fibers
such as cotton,
flowers and
processed food
products. In the
Caribbean there are
organic pineapples,
cocoa and coffee
being produced, just
to name a few.
Organic farming protects the
soil in a healthy, fertile and
natural state, taking care of the
plants that are grown, which in
turn provide humans and
animals with food and oxygen.
By not using harmful chemicals
and fertilizers during organic
farming, the quality of water
supplies nearby is also being
protected and improved, making
sure that the water is free
from chemical pollution that is
bad for our health.
Organic farming practices such
as planting of trees and
hedges, protecting trees and
local plant and animal life, as
well as preserving natural
waterways, help to keep the
environment natural or green.
Always remember, if it is good
for nature, then it is good for
you! And it tastes great too!!

Career Moves
Career Moves
Meet Sheila Hope-Harewood-Organic Farmer, Barbados (2nd prize winner of
Meet Sheila Hope-Harewood-Organic Farmer, Barbados (2nd prize winner of
Barbados Agrofest Kitchen Garden Competition, 2010)
Q.What Q.What is your your Occupation?
A.I am a woman with many
careers. In partnership with my
sister Margaret, we operate a
small business called SHEMAR’S
ORGANIC PRODUCTS, located in
Husbands Heights, St James. I
am also a medical nurse and a
secretary, as well as an organic
farmer.
Q. Q. Why did you select organic organic
farming farming and and how long have have
you you been been in this profession?
profession?
A. My family had a lot of land,
so I grew up in a farming
environment; but I started
focusing on organic farming from
2000 onwards. In my family
there are a few cases of
Multiple Myeloma (Cancer) so
this motivated me to focus more
on eating healthy foods in order
to take advantage of their
health benefits. I started
growing various organic foods for
home use, but later on I started
selling my produce to other
people and businesses.
Q.Where Q.Where is your farm farm located located
and what types types of organic
foods do you grow? grow?
A.I own a small kitchen garden
(22 beds), which is located at
my residence in Husbands
Heights, St James. I grow fresh
organic herbs and gourmet
produce like Turnips, Lettuce,
Tarragon, Basil, Rosemary,
Radish, Leeks, Aragula,
Watercress, Swiss chard, and
Strawberries among others.
Q. Where Where can your produce produce be be
found?
A. The foods that I produce can
be found at SHEMAR’S
ORGANIC PRODUCTS in addition
to Carlton Supermarket, Super
Centre, The Food and
Agriculture Organization and
occasionally Royal Bank of
Canada.
Q. What What is the best part of
your job? job?
A. The best part of my job is
seeing the happy and satisfied
faces of my customers after
they have made purchases from
me. I currently have about 70
loyal persons, who keep coming
back for more and refuse to buy
their produce from anywhere
else. I harvest my produce on
Friday afternoons and sell them
all by Saturday, therefore my
customers always get fresh
foods of the best quality.
Q. Q. What advice advice do do you you have have
for for young children children wanting to
follow follow in your your footsteps?
footsteps?
A. Great choice! Organic foods
promote a healthier and more
rewarding lifestyle. Its health
benefits can help prevent us
from contracting diseases like
Diabetes and Hypertension. As
early as primary school, I would
advise children to become
involved in researching about
organic foods to see how best it
can benefit you. I would
encourage parents to take their
children to events such as
Agrofest, where they can
actually meet and speak with
nursery staff that possess
knowledge and experience in such
areas.
Making Waves A Tourism Bulletin for Caribbean Children 5

Located northeast of Venezuela
and south of Grenada, the twin
islands of Trinidad and Tobago
has a population of 1,297,944
people. The country is made up
of a mixture of races including
Indians, African, Chinese,
Mulattos and Caucasians.
Trinidad is 4,828 square
kilometers in size and its
capital is Port of Spain. Tobago
Asa Wright Nature Center-home for
over 140 bird species
• The first black Miss
Universe in history,
Janelle Commissiong,
came from Trinidad
and Tobago.
6 Making Waves A Tourism Bulletin for Caribbean Children
Trinidad & Tobago – Land of Steelpan and Calypso
COUNTRY
PROFILE
on the other hand is 300
square kilometers in size and
its capital is Scarborough.
Tourism is an important sector
to their local economy. A lot of
business tourism takes place in
Trinidad while a lot of leisure
tourism takes place in Tobago.
Domestic flights and a ferry
service connect Trinidad with
Tobago and international flights
Popuullar sittees
aandd
attrracctioonss in
Trrinidaad and Tobbaagoo
Buccoo Reef-a Marine Park with a colorful
underwater life
• The Pitch Lake located
in La Brea, southern
Trinidad, is the world’s
largest basin of
asphalt.
or cruise ships connect them
with the rest of the world.
From January to August of
2009, 287,087 tourists stopped
over in Trinidad & Tobago and
83,713 traveled by cruise ships
from January to May of 2009.
Most of these tourists came
from the United States of
America, Canada and Europe.
Fort King George-Tobago’s main
historic site
Carnival revelers.
Interesting facts about Trinidad and Tobago
• Trinidad and Tobago is
the birthplace for the
steel pan musical
instrument and calypso
music.

Instructions
Fun un things to do
Materials
•Eggshells
•Dirt
•Grass seed
•Markers
Break an egg and try to keep as much
of the shell in one piece as possible.
Pour the egg into a bowl to be cooked
later. Carefully wash out the eggshell.
Using a marker, draw a face on the
shell and be as creative as you want.
What an
�gghead!!
You can even make wings out of paper
for ears.
Fill the shell 2/3 full with dirt and
then sprinkle some seeds on the top.
Water your Egg Head every day and it
should start sprouting hair in 2-3 days.
CARIBBEAN TOURISM ORGANIZATION
One Financial Place, Collymore Rock,
St. Michael, Barbados
Tel: 246-427-5242
Fax: 246-429-3065
www.onecaribbean.org
www.caribbeantravel.com
email:ctobar@caribsurf.com
Making Waves A Tourism Bulletin for Caribbean Children 7