A Farmer’s life on Cayman Brac’s Bluff

Magartio Chantilope, passes on his knowledge of
farming to his children

By Shariffa Chantilope

Friday,  July 29, 2005

The only full-time farmer in the Sister Islands, Magartio Chantilope was awarded Top Crop Farmer and Farmer of the Year at the Cayman Brac Agriculture show last February.

Born on February 28 1937, Mr Chantilope has had his hands in the soil from the age of seven helping his parents in the field as they also planted crops.

“I went to sea when I was 17 and when I came back I began to farm again. There is nothing easy about farming, only that I love it,” he said.

Mr Chantilope owns approximately 40 acres of land on the Bluff, most of which is under cultivation.

The Bluff has long been the preferred area for planting crops, not only because of its height which offers safety from storm surge, but also because of the pockets of Terra Rossa better known as Red Mould. The rich soil is very good for planting.

Mr Chantilope produces Yams, Cassavas, Papaya, Mangoes, Peppers, Pineapples, Watermelons, Pumpkin, Sweet Potatoes, Sweet Sop and Sour Sop, Avocados, Star Fruits, June Plums and a variety of other fruits and vegetables.

One of the traditions passed down for generations is the use of thatch baskets made from that of the Silver Thatch Palm Tree found in the Islands. The thatch baskets are strong, durable and very efficient for carrying crops.

Now that he lives on the Bluff, Mr Chantilope finds that business has slowed down and people would rather drive to the supermarkets and pay more than drive up to his house and buy produce directly from him without any added costs.

“There are only two shops really that I can depend on to buy my stuff, though, and they are Billy’s Supermarket on the Brac and Foster’s Food Fair in Grand Cayman,” he said.

The climate in the Caribbean allows for many different crops to be planted at different times in the year; everything has a season. Currently, Mr Chantilope is focusing on planting Yams, suckers and Sweet Potatoes.

Mr Chantilope experiences quite a few problems as a farmer. One is that he does not receive any support from the hotels on the Brac, he said.

Mr Chantilope said that the resorts on the Island are not buying any of the local produce which, he said, comes as a shock as their job is promoting Cayman Brac and Caymanian Culture.

When asked what he enjoys doing in his spare time, Mr Chantilope replied, “Spare time? Between Farming and working as a Security Guard at Faith Hospital, I don’t have any spare time. I do love fishing, though.”

He remembers taking his boat out to sea with his two sons but that has come to a halt with hurricanes scaring away the majority of the fish.

With farming being a full-time occupation for very few in the Cayman Islands, Mr Chantilope has no real competition. “The work is so hard that no one wants to do it,” he said.

“This Island really needs more farmers and one of the problems is that most of the land on the Bluff is privately owned and the Government is complaining that there isn’t enough farming being done locally, but they aren’t securing the land to do it.

“I am willing to take the younger ones in the field and teach them about farming, but the younger ones won’t pick it up so in the next ten years I see farming dead,” he says.

“Farming is a good career, you have to be willing to work hard, but you will find that what you put into it you will get back out, so it’s worth the work. Another thing is that I am my own boss; I go when I like and I come when I please!”

Mr Chantilope lives on the Bluff on Cayman Brac with his wife Dorett and children Shariffa, Domonique, Mel and Jay. The family plays an important role in helping to sell the produce to people who come to the house or delivering to the local supermarkets.

When his two youngest children - Mel, aged 11, and Jay, aged 8 - are not at school, they are often seen helping their father in the grounds and traveling with him.

Mr Chantilope says that finding good labour that knows what farming is really about can be somewhat of a challenge. But he does his best to teach them all he can.

Farming on Cayman Brac is not what it was 20 or even 10 years ago. It has, in fact improved in areas. Now plants don’t have to be watered by hand, where pails would have had to be carried to each different field.

A proper irrigation system has been set in place with pipes running to each major area where water is needed for the crops. Mr Chantilope also has quite a few solar panels that produce energy to keep the water running on a regular basis.

They have proven to be very efficient, he said. However, there is a problem that has to be dealt with involving the transportation of water up to the Bluff by trucks.

The Department of Health and Department of Agriculture support today’s farmers. Insecticides are available to take care of pest problems and pamphlets and newsletters that update farmers on techniques and tips are offered.

“No one can just wish or hope to be a good farmer. You have to work hard to become one. I would not only like to see a lot more farmers on Cayman Brac, but they should get the encouragement and help they need,” he said. “The Government and Department of Agriculture can’t wait until they have to import everything from foreign before they realize that if they had more local farmers, they would save a lot more money and be able to provide for this country without having to depend on others,” said Mr Chantilope.

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