Thousands of people visited the annual Agriculture Show on Wednesday, reinforcing its status as the biggest one-day event on the Cayman calendar.
The showground in Bodden Town basked in sunshine as crowds gathered early for the 56th celebration not only of the farming industry, but the islands’ culture as well.
George Bustillo, 44, a roads engineer from West Bay, visited the Stacey Watler Agriculture Pavilion in Lower Valley with son Sam and daughter Mila.
Sam, 8, sporting a new henna dragon on his arm, said, “I like the games – balloon popping and I got the henna from face painting.”
Little Mila, 4, said, “I like the bouncy castle.”
Their father added, “The show is kind of like tradition for us. We come every year. The kids like it. It’s a different experience for them.
“For me, it’s a break – and the food is good. The only part I don’t like is the sun.”
The show, with the theme ‘Food security – everyone’s business’, promoted the best of the country’s farming, including produce and animals such as chickens, goats, pigs and cattle.
Stalls sold a wide range of Caymanian goods, including T-shirts and arts and crafts, as well as food.
Agriculture Show’s a family affair
Jason and Ophelia Ebanks brought daughter Jaiya, 2, on her first trip to the show, alongside 3-year-old brother Jru, a show veteran with three attendances under his belt.
Ophelia said, “It’s something we did as kids growing up and we want our kids to experience the same culture. We love it. It’s hot, but we love it.”
She added, “The kids had a great time – they really loved the cows, goats and chickens – all the animals.”
Jason chipped in, “They liked the food most of all.”
Cousins Nick Powery and Joey Miller, of West Bay’s NR Farm, were exhibiting some of their prize poultry.
Miller said, “Our grandparents got us into farming when we were little. We’re third-generation farmers.”
Eggs at a premium
He added that demand for eggs had broken records due to a worldwide crisis caused by avian flu, which had also pushed up consumer prices.
Miller said, “We can’t get enough eggs – they are in high demand. Yesterday, we sold 30 dozen in just one hour. That’s just to local people.”
Powery added, “Every day, the eggs we collect are spoken for – they are gone.”
Miller said, “We have to expand and get our friends to supply the eggs we need. Eggs are expensive all over now because of the bird flu which has impacted the market.
“That’s affected Cayman as well and it’s driven up prices in the local market.”
Powery said it was their third year at the show, and the event had lived up to expectations.
He added, “Here in Cayman, the farms get support from the Department of Agriculture; also the minister is in full support of farming.”
The operator of a Just Ice Cream KY van said business had been brisk and that he expected to have almost sold out by the end of the show.
He said, “Business is good … it’ll be over at 6pm, but we expect to have sold a lot by then. It’s been good. We could come here and the rain falls and everything’s over.”
Marylyn Camargo, who had a stall selling a range of natural Cayman herbal salves, said just before lunchtime, “It’s still early and we’ve sold a few things.”
Camargo, a first-time vendor at the show, added, “I think the show is amazing. It’s very busy. I’m enjoying it – it’s marvellous.
“They should have more of these kind of shows in Cayman.”
They were speaking after a string of dignitaries, including Governor Jane Owen and Agriculture Minister Jay Ebanks, launched the show from the main stage.
Farming on road to food security
Ebanks told the crowd that the industry had made “significant” progress in recent years, and next month a “milestone” programme designed to promote greater access to land for Caymanian farmers would start.
He said, “At the rate we are going now, in the next two years the Cayman community will no longer have to import eggs. This is what food security is all about.”
Ebanks added that a new addition to the show was a live auction, where two red poll cattle from Cayman would be sold off.
He said that an example of the same breed would be donated to the Bahamas, whose agriculture minister Jomo Campbell was a guest at the show.
Ebanks said, “There is a lot more we want to add for next year’s show. We will put out little teasers about that.”
He added afterwards, “It’s been a lovely day. It’s started off really great and I’m pleased to see so many people here. We have a lot more stalls and a lot more events.
“The fruit and vegetables are magnificent and a great example of what Cayman can produce.”
Officials said they estimated that between 6,000 and 8,000 people could pass through the gates before the show ended.
Owen, who toured the showground with government officials and Harriet Cross, the governor-designate of Montserrat, added, “It’s fantastic. There’s so much to see, such a mixture of animals and produce and more people going into farming, which is what the government is aiming for.
“It’s also nice to see people turning out at the Agricultural Ground, which is a bit further east, and enjoying some of the facilities we have out here.”
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