FoxFarm – making money from the earth with fresh organic fruits and vegetables

A young Berbice farmer has utilised the advances made in technology and combined them with tradition to do what our ancestors would refer to as “making money from the earth”.
Reynard Ward is an ‘agripreneur’ [an entrepreneur in the business of agriculture].
Ward’s business is fruits, cash crops, livestock, honey production and most recently, aquaculture.

The fruits which he produces under the brand FoxFarm are all organic. “It is easy for me; all I do is clean the trees and pick the fruit,” Ward jokes, as he emphasises that no chemicals are used on the farm.
However, it is not that simple as technology plays a great role in being able to produce agricultural products, without the aid of chemicals in a world where competitors are finding new and innovative ways to produce.
FoxFarm products are available by order only because of the high demand. Interested persons can go to the Facebook page to place orders. There is no fooling around in saying that there is a distinct difference in the taste of fruits ordered from FoxFarm as against those purchased in the market.
FoxFarm situated on the East Bank of Berbice at Christina’s Lust, a community without regular facilities like potable water, electricity, telephone, Internet or modern technology, some 15 miles out of New Amsterdam, is home to some of the most succulent fruits found in the country. “It’s always a pleasure to have persons visiting and taste our products fresh off the tree; it gives them the opportunity to understand the work that goes into organic farming. We have limes, lemons, grapefruit, tangerines, tangelos, shaddock, oranges and five finger. Other fruits are also available when in season,” Ward says.
The business was started in 2011 with only a few trees on the farm in the continuation of a family tradition. One of the factors which worked against the farm expansion was the lack of capital, given the fact that it is virgin forest land.
In September, funding was received through a funding agency.
According to Ward, one of the difficulties encountered was when harvesting – getting the fruits from the tree to farm hut. He said much of the farming time was utilised in transporting produce which made it unprofitable to expand. However, with the introduction of the BUG to the farm, that is no longer an issue.
The BUG was created by Ward and is simply a specialised cart. “I call it the BUG. Its versatility, capability and strength is that of a bug. Small but powerful, and, of course, 90 per cent of the parts used to build it were recycled from dumpsites and old discarded parts. The BUG is used to move harvested products from the field during the rainy season when the other vehicles cannot go.
“It is also used to move other equipment and small loads around the farm. Lastly, it is used for just driving around the farm for fun and brainstorming. Yes, brainstorming great inspirations come while you move around the farm without an agenda.”
One of the things Ward has been able to spend much time thinking about while driving around his farm is taking FoxFarm to another level. He is hoping very soon to allow persons the opportunity of being able to choose their fruit and get their contents (juice) a few seconds later. “I don’t actually invent things, but use what’s available to make things better. I always see problems that need to be remedied or fixed, then I look around and take what’s available to make something that will make life easier. So yes, I am working on a few things to make life easier.
“Currently, [am] trying to make a mobile electric generator from a gasoline electric part that will be fixed to a small two-wheel diesel land tiller so that I can weld broken equipment away in the field and still use the tiller as it was made.”
He also plans to make a ditcher from used car parts.
Contact: 639-9823/www.facebook.com/foxfarm.cali/