The 'Jamaica' of postcards, travel shows and commercials, that is what Lime Tree Farm is not. It is in fact much more. Made of a beauty more profound and diverse. It takes a true slice of Jamaica's people, tops it with local, organic home-cooking, and sprinkles a pinch of mountain breeze. The result? An experience so unique that you may well wonder, is this really Jamaica?

From the roof of your villa, the view takes in the flowing Yallahs River and Blue Mountain range. On a clear day guests can see Morant Bay, on the eastern tip of the island.

We were warned that the road was bad - an understatement perhaps. In fact, whether the 'road' leading up to Lime Tree Farm can actually be called a 'road' lends itself to debate. But with Kingston's heat becoming unbearable, an hour's trek through some of Jamaica's most treacherous terrain, in search of a respite from the rising temperatures, sounded enticing, inviting even.

Shakily, we faced the road, in a four-wheel drive, tentatively approaching the crater-sized potholes and close to 90-degree-angle slopes. On either side, the Blue Mountain range rose and fell, slopes covered in trees that carved out shapes in the side of the crumbling peaks. Up we went, then down, and climbed back up again, 3,500 feet in fact, where we were finally met by a cool, refreshing breeze.

His name was Charlie Burbury. Along with his wife Susie he runs Lime Tree Farm, a working coffee plantation set on eight acres. They may look like an unlikely couple, but the easy banter between them after eight years of marriage. translates to the easy nature of the property, which is shared by their four-year-old son Alex, and their two-year-old Lab-Mastiff mix dog, Zulu - still a puppy, but 135 pounds. Guests, in fact, step into the home of the Burburys whose hospitality turns handshakes to hugs.

Originally from England but with strong Jamaican roots (his mother Sarah was the former governor of Jamaica Sir Hugh Footes sister, and his uncle is Oliver Foote, noted for spearheading the flying medic service Orbis and until recently an integral part of Air Jamaica), Burbury has now been in Jamaica for 18 years now. And even after spending the first three months living under tarpaulin, while he built a house, he is dedicated to it.

Come coffee season, the eight-acre property of Lime Tree Farm will be awash in ripe, red berries.

This, despite his lack of knowledge when it came to growing coffee. "Everything I know is because of Busha," Burbury tells SunDay. His real name is George Ellington, but everyone simply knows him as Busha. "He was the first person I shook hands with on my first morning in Jamaica," he says, "and we have worked together ever since."

As a working coffee plantation, Lime Tree Farm produces about 500-1,000 boxes of Blue Mountain coffee each season, which runs from the end of October to April or May. However, it was the lack of profit from the coffee, and inability to sell the property that led to the building of the three villas that now attract about 100 visitors each year.

While the villas were only completed about a year and a half ago - a visit from hurricane Ivan put them back a few months - they have already found favour among numerous expats living in Jamaica, as well as drawing visitors from the UK and the United States. Nature lovers, hikers, birdwatchers, eco-tourists, artists and family friends are all drawn to Lime Tree Farm in search of 'Jamaica off the beaten track'.

Taking the role of host very seriously, Burbury will be your guide to some of Jamaica's hidden treasures: Robin's Bay, Port Maria and Cinchona Botanical Gardens. And in a recent collaboration, Lime Tree Farm has paired up with Hotel Mocking Bird Hill, in Portland, to provide visitors the full Jamaican, "Land of Wood and Water" experience, with a Sea and Mountain Escape package. This one-week trip includes three nights in Portland exploring the beauty of Frenchman's Cove and three nights in the mountains in one of the farm's spacious villas.

Built into the gently sloping mountain side, the adobe-style villas, awash in white, and named Lookout, Wood, and Water may be basic, but they offer all the amenities a traveller needs. Modern en-suite bathrooms, with showers decorated by miniature, aqua-blue tiles, are completed with bamboo towel racks that bring the outside in. In the bedroom, a spacious bed offers the perfect place to rest your head at night, made even more special by the fact that Burbury made it.

Much of the furniture in the villas, including the bed, tables, and some armchairs were made by Burbury, his choice of material being a pine tree that was hit by lightning in 1989. In fact, the location of the fallen tree is now marked by the three villas that have taken up residency in its place. From one villa in fact, the flow of the Yallahs River can sometimes be heard, while the view stretches as far as Morant Bay on a clear day, and across to the Yallahs Plains.

Eating is a communal affair at Lime Tree Farm. Guests and family come together to share in food, prepared by Susie - local fare in the evenings, which usually follows a lighter lunch of soup and salad.

The pavilion, where the meals are eaten, speaks not only to the breathtaking beauty that lies just beyond the steps, but also draws inspiration again from the lightning-struck pine tree, in the shape of the dining table. Seating 16 people, the table dominates the space, whispering of nature, yet remaining faithful to an element of easy, environmentally friendly elegance.

Food and décor aside, this 'green' approach goes beyond the organic produce they use to prepare their meals and the material for their furniture. The farm supports the local farmers and community, by donating all bar sales to Lime Tree/Tower Hill Primary School. Burbury is also very much involved in efforts to fix the road up to Lime Tree Farm, regardless of the fact that these efforts have as yet to result in any positive resolutions.

Life appears simple at Lime Tree Farm. Days can be spent exploring or simply relaxing with a good book. Either way, it is a side of Jamaica that few experience, but a true, real side nonetheless. Oh, and if the thought of the driving seems a little daunting, no fear.

Burbury will pick you up (even if you are coming from Kingston) in his trusty grey Trooper for JA$3,000, for stays less than four nights. If you are staying longer - which is suggested - it is free.
www.limetreefarm.com

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