On International Women's Day, Sagicor's From Her Farm to Your Table Brunch celebrated the strength, innovation, and tenacity of women in agriculture. Each beautifully plated dish, garnished with vibrant microgreens and delicate edible flowers, captured the care behind every ingredient. Behind those elegant touches is 53-year-old farmer Janice Dacres-Jones, whose journey from rural Manchester to St Andrew embodies the spirit of the occasion.
Born into the ebbs and flows of farm life, Dacres-Jones developed a love for farming early on. "I'm originally from Mizpah in Manchester," she shared. "My father and grandparents were farmers. It was always around me. I just love having my hands in the dirt. It's how I wind down. It's how I think." She fondly recalls those early mornings on the farm, the rhythms of planting and harvesting, and the lessons learnt working alongside her family.
Building on these roots, she brought her passion to St Andrew, starting Halifax Farms, a venture born from a lifetime of experience. Her approach to agriculture, however, was sharpened in corporate Jamaica, where she worked for years as a business strategist. "I don't approach farming the way most people do. For me, it's a business first," she explained. "You have to ask yourself, who am I growing this for? Do I have a market? Too many people plant first and hope they'll find a buyer later. That's why you end up with gluts, everybody plants tomatoes because tomatoes are doing well, and then when the crop comes in, there's too much and the price drops."
Specialising in microgreens, edible flowers, herbs and speciality lettuce strains, the farm combines quality, creativity, and market value. Rather than competing in saturated markets, she researched global food trends and identified a local niche. "When I started farming, I stepped back and asked, 'What's not being provided?'
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