ST ANDREW, Jamaica — Farmer Jessica Silvera is upgrading her farm, Generation Grow, to use only renewable energy.

The expansion of the farm, located in the cool hills of the Blue and John Crow Mountains, is expected to expand her business to provide additional job opportunities for residents in and around her community.

A single mother of three, Silvera has been in operation for over eight years. The farm sits on eight acres of land, of which only 2.5 acres are in use.

Resting in the community of Mount Horeb in St Andrew, it is a multi-product farm consisting of a variety of crops and livestock. One of the most significant challenges faced by Silvera is finding workers.

“The young people have no interest in farming, and the older folks sometimes cannot manage or have their farms to tend to.”

Silvera outlined, stating that she could do more in a shorter time if she had more assistance.

“I would love to see a generation where we are growing what we eat,” Silvera shared, stating that this is why she named her business Generation Grow.

She currently rears pigs and is now in the research phase of implementing methane gas, which will be made from pig manure.

“I currently use the traditional method of wood fire when slaughtering chickens. I have sinusitis, and it affects me greatly when doing this.” Silvera explained.

“The farm is located in a rainforest, so we get a lot of rain, and sometimes when it rains, it affects the amount of work that we can get done. I want to protect the environment in all my operations.”

Silvera explained that if she has methane gas, she will power the slaughter equipment and produce more over a shorter period.

Her primary market is the Duhaney Park community, where she has been operating from the back of her pick-up truck for the past eight years. She is looking forward to opening her establishment in the same community at the end of this month.

If successful in this venture, customers will be able to purchase their farm produce while also enjoying sandwiches, shakes, and other items made from produces from the farm. Silvera believes her prosperity comes from her charity.

Over the years, she has donated to various charity projects. Since COVID-19, she has been assisting various projects by donating pork, chickens, eggs, and a variety of produce from her farm.

A beauty therapist by profession and a farmer by passion, Silvera hopes to bridge a gap where both careers can be merged to form one business.

Once the farm has been upgraded to use biogas, she intends to expand and create a wellness retreat where persons can book accommodation to enjoy farm tours, while eating healthy and enjoying beauty therapy sessions.