June 28, 2007 — The Agriculture Department plans to lease four acres of land adjacent to the Agriculture Department facility in Coral Bay to farmers or groups of people who would like to farm, said Agriculture Commissioner Louis Petersen Jr.
"I feel that all of the islands can do more to produce food," he said.
Petersen made the announcement Sunday at Food Fair, but elaborated on the plans Thursday. While the department leases land to farmers on St. Thomas and St. Croix, it has not done so before on St. John, he said. The department will subdivide the land into quarter-acre or half-acre plots and lease it to farmers who intend to make a profit.
"I want to turn it into a success story," Petersen said.
Trinidad Charlie Deyalsingh, who farms one and a half acres in the Bethany area, said he is interested in expanding his operation to Coral Bay. Subdividing the land for farmers would help those who don't have land get involved, he said.
"We should encourage it," Deyalsingh said.
Petersen plans to hold a meeting with potential farmers during July, but no date has been set.
Some years ago, the land was slated to become Sisters' Gardens, a park named after two Marsh sisters who once gathered native herbs at the site.
Mary Blazine, who spearheaded efforts to develop the park when she served as director of the St. John Community Foundation, said Thursday the plan never got off the ground because of the Property and Procurement Department. While department representatives expressed enthusiasm for the park plan, they never followed through on it, Blazine said..
The foundation planned to build raised beds and bring in soil to make a botanical garden, complete with benches. In her opinion, the land isn't suited for farming because it sits close to the ocean.
"It's too salty," Blazine said.
Josephine Roller disagrees. The former deputy agriculture commissioner on St. John farms farther inland along the same side road.
"It's the best land for farming because it's in a flood plain," she said. "The soil is very rich."
If the Agriculture Department does lease the land, it's important that the farmers actually plant, Roller said. If they only clear the land but don't plant, erosion will occur, she said.
The land could be used to showcase fruits, vegetable and flowers grown in the Virgin Islands for tourists to see, said Alvis Christian, who heads the John's Folly Learning Institute.
"There's no place in Coral Bay for them to get some information," he said.
The project should include public restrooms for tourists, Christian said. There are currently no such facilities in Coral Bay. The area could also be used to teach arts and crafts to students, he said.
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