Today the beautiful cruise ship Carnival Horizon docked in Ocho Rios, and we had the pleasure of welcoming another wonderful group of visitors to our farm and herbal garden in the hills of Jamaica. It was one of those perfect sunny Jamaican days that remind us why summer is such a special season on the island.
Because it is summertime in Jamaica, the fruit trees are once again overflowing with fresh seasonal fruits. After the passing of the hurricane months ago, many of our fruit trees are finally starting to recover beautifully. Guests were excited to enjoy a colorful fruit menu filled with ripe jackfruit, sweet pineapple, naseberry, and two delicious varieties of mangoes. Our ripe bananas are also finally starting to return after the storm damage, and visitors were happy to taste them fresh from the farm.
One of the highlights of the day was taking our guests directly to the fruit trees themselves. They enjoyed picking and eating fresh Jamaican apples from our apple tree and later gathered around the mulberry tree where many had a wonderful feast enjoying the sweet berries straight from the branches. For many visitors, it was their very first time seeing or tasting some of these tropical fruits directly from the tree.
After the farm walk and herbal garden tour, guests sat down to a hearty Jamaican buffet lunch prepared fresh at the farm. Today’s menu included authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken, flavorful pumpkin rice, curry goat, ackee and codfish, steamed callaloo, festival, boiled coco yam, and fried ripe plantain, another crop that is thankfully making a strong comeback after the hurricane. Lunch was served buffet style with unlimited servings, and yes, many guests happily returned for second plates.
As always, visitors greatly enjoyed learning about the many medicinal herbs growing throughout our herbal garden. Many were amazed to discover herbs they had never seen before and were fascinated by the traditional Jamaican uses of plants passed down through generations. Watching guests connect with nature, taste fresh fruits from the trees, and experience authentic Jamaican country cooking is always one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.
The day began with guest pickup just outside the cruise port in Ocho Rios, followed by a scenic drive into the hills where they experienced the true beauty of rural Jamaica. By the end of the tour, everyone was smiling, relaxed, well-fed, and full of appreciation for the natural beauty and flavors of Jamaica.
Days like these remind us how blessed we are to share our farm, our food, and our culture with visitors from around the world.
