From the ground to the pot
Richie Stephens’ Tyre Garden
Music artiste, Richie Stephens (proper name Richard Stephenson) has been lighting up the internet with his backyard garden and motivating scores of persons to develop their own. He admitted to the Freedom Come Rain newspaper that that wasn’t his intention, but that’s just how farming is…contagious…and people want to see what their own hands can produce if they try.
People are wowed by the singer’s neatly arranged rows of painted tyres containing callaloo, pak choy, okra, scallion, thyme, sweet pepper, scotchie, and tomato. “And I also have another little garden bed where I grow herbs and spices like fever grass, Chinese thyme, and different types of mint,” he shared, confessing that he has always loved farming. He recounted that there was a time when he cultivated a much larger space than he has now and he would have a plot of corn, a plot of greens (callaloo), a bed of pak choy, etc. and he would freely distribute to an old age home on Mannings Hill Road. “That meant so much to me,” he stated. “And every time people would come to my house, they would be blown away by what they see and receive from the garden, and they would also be motivated to go and plant something in their own yard.”
Farming is in his blood. “Grandpa, Grandma, Mama, my cousins all farmed where I grew up in Westmoreland. I learnt what to do by watching them. It was just the natural thing for us as children to always be outdoors, and when I moved to Kingston about 35 years ago, I continued gardening on and off.”
Of course, there were times that the artiste had to exchange his garden tools for a microphone, but as soon as he returned home, everyone knew the drill: the garden had his attention.
Not a fan of pesticides or fertilisers, one of his favourite ways to control pests is to intersperse his vegetable beds with marigold, which is a good insect repellent. “Chemical insecticides and fertilisers are a no, no, no for me,” he objected. “That would defeat the whole purpose since I know those things are poisonous. Some farmers see them as necessary because they are into farming to make money, not to keep you healthy. But the whole idea of me planting in the first place was so that I could ensure my family could have organic and fresh food coming from the garden. We’re able to go outside, pick a tomato and sweet pepper, some scallions and thyme, and cut some greens. This stops us from having to go to the market to buy, and we know that there is no fertiliser in what we’re eating! From the ground to the pot, nothing is added; it’s all natural!”
Having people linking him via the internet and it’s not about his God-given musical talent is something that the ariste is enjoying. “A whole lot of persons are messaging me now because they see my postings online, and they send me questions as to how to do this or that. They often say that I have a green thumb (which is true), but you have to know when to plant certain things, though. Some things are best suited to certain months, so you can’t set to work sowing everything all at the same time.”
Asked what was one of the most common challenges people have, he divulged it was about thyme. “Persons usually have an issue with thyme; it’s a bit tricky, but you have to ensure that it has roots when you want to grow it. So, if you buy some and there are no fresh roots on it, you have to place it in water until the root system develops. Thyme takes time, and so does gardening,” the pragmatist disclosed. “But it can be done. I know it promotes good health, so I enjoy encouraging people to get planting!”
