THE MOTHER OF FOOD SERIES
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The Southwell Farm Orange Valley
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Johnson Southwell grows mangoes in a big way. He has mango orchards at Old Road and at Orange Valley. He has travelled widely in the Caribbean region in search of different varieties to improve his collection, bringing back scion material for grafting onto healthy local rootstock. He also cultivates ackee and two types of avocado, both originating in Jamaica, but mangoes are his passion. Johnson manages his farms with the help of his wife, Miriam, son, Johnson Jr., and his daughter, whose name is Mijohn. It is a family enterprise, and has been so since his father’s day. The Old Road farm has very mature trees, and is the farm of Johnson’s boyhood. It was on this farm that he gained his early experience in mango cultivation before going to Canada to study information sciences. Returning to Antigua when
by Madeleine Jardim McComas and Jennifer Maynard TOMMY ATKINS MANGOES
still a young man, he continued his education at the Teachers Training College at Golden Grove. He taught for the greater part of his adult life, and eventually rose to become headmaster of the Princess Margaret School in St. John’s. Mango farming is in his blood, however, and his large plantation at Orange Valley is his own creation. The mango trees at the Orange Valley farm are younger than those at Old Road, and there is a wider selection, up to 36 varieties at last count. The collection includes one of the most popular mangoes eaten in Antigua, the Julie, a Trinidadian variety also referred to as St. Julien. There are Keitt and Piñero, both late season varieties. There is Haden, which must be picked full, but before it is ripe, and also before the birds get to it, and the Edward variety, which should be picked when ripe but still firm. For mango orders Mr Southwell may be contacted on (268) 462-8250 or by email on southwellfamilyfarm@gmail.com The family mango stall is located by the Deanery grounds just before the stop lights at the beginning of the Friars Hill Road, St. John’s.