The Sweet Life of Farmer Ruff

Dem call me Farmer Ruff, and nah, it ain because I’m tough—it’s de land, de sun, de mud—always pelting me! I ain full-time yet, but ah lime wid farming proper now. I start wid cantaloupes first, but trust me, dis just de jump-off. Plenty more crops on de way, fam. I tell yuh, easy ni, but it sweet.

When Cantaloupes Pick You, Bim-Style

I doh wake up early sayin, “Ah go grow melons today.” Nah man, it start small—with a couple seeds, a humble patch, and a dream. Before yuh know it, vines stretch out like dem going a fete, leaves big and green, and melons pop up like surprise guests. Cheese on bread when dat happen—pure joy, easy ni. I remember staring at dem vines thinking, “Is this real?” but yup, it real and sweet.

Farming Might Look Sweet On Screen—Easy Ni

On IG, farming look easy ni, but for real, it doh play. One minute yuh deh relaxing, next minute aphids, thrips, leaf miners mash up yuh vines. And de sun? Hot, hot, hot—hot like it burning yuh skin off. I come wid BT spray, Newmectin, neem oil first—natural ting. Chemicals only when dem pests get serious. It’s peaceful resistance, but trust me, yuh ready to go chemical-mode when tings get sticky. Easy ni, but yuh learn yuh lesson quick.

Soil Prep, Bees, and Plenty Patience

First ting first: good soil. Loose, warm, and nutty—like sweet bread dough. I hill up de plants, give dem space, water dem nice, then step back and pray. De bees come buzzing—real MVPs dem—pollinating and making dat fertility happen. After a while, little melons start to show, and then it’s full-time watch. I water dem, eye every leaf, chase away pests. When rind start get dat faint netting and sweet aroma sip through de breeze? Ah tell yuh—it sweet on de nose.

Cutting One Open? Pure Melon Magic

When I finally slice one open, rind soft under de knife and orange flesh fresh as sunrise, I nearly drop. Juice run like every drop telling a story—that sweat, that fight, dat sun. Dat first bite? Oh lawd—it taste like summer and Barbados marry sweet-sweet. Chill dat melon good and dat crisp bite hit different. It keep good for days in de fridge but if yuh me it lucky to last till day two. 😂

Ups, Downs, and Sweet Comebacks

Farming doh come easy ni. Praedial larceny real bad—months of work walking off? That mash yuh spirit. Drought, storms, insects—all de time surprise ready. And yuh feel how Bajan proverb say “Cat luck ain dog luck”—what work for one don’t mean it work for another, But real farmers? We keep going. Every setback teach yuh someting new. After de rain, yuh plant again—with hope bigger than de last.

Why Ah Still Farming

Why doh quit when yuh vex? Farming give yuh purpose—a real connection to de land and the people. When someone bite one of my melons and beam, dat payment sweeter than any cheque. And dat ain no small ting. Every person who supports a small farmer is fueling dreams right here in Bim. Big-up to yuh who do dat—for real!

Big-Up to Farmers and Family

Big-up to de farmer spouses who put up wid early mornings and tired evenings. Big-up to de yutes in de field planting beside me and de pickney shelling peas at dawn. Every melon sold feed more than one belly—it feed we spirit and we community. Together we building a strong food system. Dat’s the power of together.

Grab a Melon, Taste de Story

Next time yuh see one of my cantaloupes, know dey come from real sweat, real love, real life. Grab one—or two—and feel de vibe. Yuh getting more than fruit; yuh holding a story. More crops, more lessons, more laughs coming soon from Farmer Ruff, your neighborhood, sun-soaked grower. Stay easy, stay Bim proud 🌱🍈

 

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