Robert Lalah, Assistant Editor - Features

Small farmer Tilford Bennett of West Albion in St. Thomas works to restore his farm that was ravaged by Hurricane Dean. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

It was while walking along a lonely road in West Albion in St. Thomas recently, that photographer Norman Grindley and I heard a strange shuffling noise coming from some nearby bushes.

Now, it is no habit of mine to go wandering off into lonely woodlands to get to the bottom of strange sounds, so I ignored the shuffling and we continued on our way.

But as we walked, the noise got louder and my mind went back to all the horror stories I heard as a child, of people getting gobbled up by mysterious creatures in bushy areas like this one. I started to walk faster.

The noise got louder. As far as we knew, there was nobody else around, but soon, the shuffling noise was interrupted by a whistle. It was a merry whistle that immediately eased the tension. "Across the bridge, there'll be no sorrow", we heard a man singing at the top of his lungs. "Across the bridge, there'll be no pain".

Cowboy hat

We looked in the direction of the singing and noticed a man wearing what looked to me like a cowboy hat, sitting on a tree stump. He looked like all the pictures of 'Farmer Joe' that I read about whenI was a child.

He was wearing water boots and held a machette. A thick man he was, with massive arms that seemed to have been shaped by years of hard work. His fingernails were worn down and covered with dirt. He had a single bead of sweat on his left brow and used his right thumb to flick it away. The second he spotted us, he let out a yelp. "Hello please?"

Sweet pepper plants

We went up to where he was sitting. There were sweet pepper plants all around, many with large green peppers on them. Behind him were some banana trees.

We introduced ourselves to the man in the hat and he smiled before looking us up and down. Then he chuckled. "Heh, heh," his belly bounced with his laugh. "Yes man, you welcome inna mi likkle farm here man," said he.

"I am Tilford and this is my likkle farm. I give thanks fi it even though is not very much," he said with a gleam in his eye.

Tilford took the hat from his head and held it to his stomach. I noticed that many of the plants in his farm were broken. I asked him about this.

"Well mi son, is from di storm what blow di edda day. Mi have two farm and mi hear dat the edda one mash up. Mi just come here dis morning fi see how dis one stay and to try save whatever mi can. It tek a good lick, but what is done is done," he said.

Handling loss well

I told Tilford that he seemed to be handling his loss very well. "Look here mi son. I am only a man, so I cannot control breeze and rain. Mi left dat to God, so if God decide dat him want to send breeze and rain, well den mi cannot get vex. Di Bible say dat di Good Lord give and him also take. Mi give thanks when him give, so mi cannot vex when him decide fi tek it back," said he.

I asked him how much of his crop he would be able to save.

"Not much you know mi son. Most of it gone. But a few things dat can save I will just give it away to the area people and keep a likkle fi mi fambily. Most things gone, but dat is how it go sometimes when you into farming," he smiled.

"Mi up in age youknow. Mi was a farmer even when Hurricane Charlie lick Jamaica back in '51. Every hurricane dat come from dat mi get a beating, but mi always find a way to press along. Dis a di worst lick mi get so far, but di Good Lord knows what is best," said Tilford with a grin.

I asked him about West Albion. "Well, I don't really live here, but I do farming here fi many years. Di place is alright and once you get along wid di people dem, you not going to have any problem. Mi just do mi likkle farming and try nuh have noting wid anybody. Dat is how mi live my life," he said.

"I hear people asking Government for assistance after the hurricane, but through all the hurricane dat blow, I never ask for noting from nobody. I get a beating every hurricane, but mi haffi just start from scratch again and work fi build up back miself. Mi can't just sit and depend pan people fi help mi," Tilford said adamantly.

"Jamaican people must learn dat God only give you what you can manage and him expect you fi work fi what you want. So, yes di farm mash up and mi house top blow off, but such is life. Mi haffi just give thanks fi life and press along."

Tilford indicated that he had to get back to work, so we bid him farewell and headed off. As we walked away, we could hear Tilford pick up on his singing.

"One day at a time, sweet Jesus, that all I'm asking of you ..."

robert.lalah@gleanerjm.com