Hard Work Pays Off for Gems of Northeast 4-H Club
Ministry of Sport and Community Development, Grow it Yourself Challenge 2024
By: Mrs. Lisa Clarke
It wasn’t easy—rain, pests, scorching sun, and manure. At times, there were complaints about the intense heat and the early wake-up calls during vacation, but despite these challenges, the teens enthusiastically completed their garden chores. There was even friendly competition amongst themselves, vying for whose weeding was the best or fastest and whose moulding hit the mark.
This journey began when 4-H Voluntary Leader, Mrs. Clarke, registered the club for the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, Grow it Yourself Challenge 2024 competition. On Monday, June 24th, she braved the inclement weather, traveling from Sangre Grande to the Ministry of Agriculture on Southern Main Road, Couva, to collect seedlings and agrochemicals, kickstarting the development of their kitchen garden at Northeastern College. From fresh herbs to vibrant veggies, the ‘Gems of Northeast 4-Hers’ were ready to put their green thumbs to the test.
The club’s journey spanned the full spectrum of gardening tasks, from land preparation to crop production practices, including transplanting, fertilizing, weeding, moulding, staking, harvesting, and post-harvest care and handling. The Gems 4-H club members also had to learn to manage the challenges of leaf hoppers and whiteflies and their damaging effects on crops. All progress had to be documented through video recordings, which required significant editing to meet the competition criteria.
With the pest issues under control, the harvest began—and what a harvest it was! The yield included cauliflower, tomatoes, ochro, baigan, patchoi, cucumber, and shadon beni. The 4-H club members were thrilled to take home the produce they had grown, sharing it with their families and the school administration, who are extremely supportive of the first 4-H club at Northeastern College.
The celebrations didn’t end with the harvest. The excitement peaked when the club was invited to the prize-giving award ceremony. On the day of the event, they left Sangre Grande with high hopes. The atmosphere at the Hasely Crawford VIP Room was electric. As the award announcements began, the club members were on the edge of their seats. With the echo of the words “And the award for Best Community Garden, with a $5,000 reward, goes to the Gems of Northeast”, screams erupted, and the 4-Hers, along with their Voluntary Leader, were ecstatic—they had done it.
However, the best was yet to come. The Gems of Northeast 4-H club received accolades as they copped the coveted award for Best All-Round Community Garden, a whooping prize of $30,000. The great uproar of celebration could have been heard from miles away. The results were beyond what they could have imagined. With a total prize of $35,000, the Gems now have the means to advance their agricultural space and acquire new resources to further enhance their holistic development and 4-H experiences. Special thanks go to Mr. Marvin Clarke for his agricultural expertise, Mr. Williams, the farm attendant, Mr. Rattan, who supplied stakes and agrochemical knowledge, and the school’s administration for their unwavering support throughout the journey. 