In the heart of Westmoreland lies a farm shrouded in mystery and brimming with potential. But it takes a visionary to see beyond the rugged terrain and grasp the promise of its transformation into a lush haven. Meet Thomas Huber, the man with a dream as vast as the land itself, who embarked on an extraordinary journey to breathe life into this uncut gem by planting exotic fruits that would turn it into a verdant paradise.

Nestled away from the clamour of urban life lies the 11-acre Rastafari Herbal Gardens, in Retrieve district, an enclave of tranquility still untouched by the rush of modernity.

Huber, who is Swedish by birth, first visited Jamaica in 1985 and other subsequent visits in the 90s with his Jamaican wife finally led to a decision to fully reside here in 1995 and begin farming a year later.

“I started to go towards vegan life from around 1990, and in ‘93 my ‘ital’ journey started.

“I began collecting exotic fruit trees in 1998, this after an introduction to Rastafari and herbal practitioners. This has, however, grown into a passion project. My vision for Jamaica is to do my part in turning it into the premier destination for health and wellness tourism on the planet. I want to ‘fruitify’ the island, eventually spreading the knowledge of ‘ital livity’, as introduced to the world by Rastafari decades ago. Which will lead to the people living a more natural life and still existing with small-scale tourism linked to farms and health-oriented communities throughout the island,” Huber stated.

“This is a vision handed down to me by Rastafari elders and in line with a sensible, sustainable vision for the country in the long term. I believe this is also a great way to integrate the diaspora and all the human and material resources available there. I attend the different agricultural shows and I provide supplies of fruit tree seedlings and speak about the benefits of fruits and herbs,” Huber added.

The natural ecosystem has remained untouched as roughly 100 varieties of fruit trees are incorporated within the existing flora. Huber has acquired several varieties, including Cedar Bay Cherry, Abiu, Suriname Cherry, Ylang Ylang, Japoticaba (black and yellow), Garcinia, Araza, Rollinia, Lemon Drop Mangosteen, Wampee, Cocuna (hard and soft), Blackberry, Mulberry, Santol, Curry Leaf, Loquat, Ribena, Lime Berry, Milk Bush, Rench Peanut, Ice Cream Bean (dwarf and white), as well as several others. Thursday Food will definitely require more visits to the farm during different seasons.

“All of these are available at different times throughout the year and some of them are quite rare, not just in Jamaica, but even the western hemisphere. Quite a few more are on the farm and some I don’t even have the proper name. Obviously, I need to link up with others to fulfil the vision. I’m confident that the time is right, and the right people will notice the opportunity though,” Huber concluded.

Rastafari Herbal Garden

Retrieve District, Westmoreland

876-864-5345