The Tribune

By FELICITY DARVILLE

SHE puts her hands in the soil, pressing seeds of love down and reaping bountiful rewards. Whitlyn Miller is the Female Farmer of the Year, thanks to the Bahamas Agrarian Awards, held in September, 2023. Her award, along with her $10,000 prize, validates the hard work she put in and the sacrifices she made to be a farmer.

Whitlyn was already successful in her chosen career before a new passion dawned upon her. This tech whiz graduated from the Government High School in 1979 and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Norfolk State University in Electronics Technology in 1984, graduating summa cum laude. Whitlyn went on to become the first female engineer at the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas, where she worked as a master control operator for news and television programmes, as well as national broadcasts. She was so good at electronics that she taught the subject from 1987 to 2006.

Although she was making strides in her career, Whitlyn was ready to explore something new. Her passion for learning led her back to the classroom, to learn a totally different discipline. She decided to pursue a degree in horticulture. The field piqued her interest because she could learn the science, art, technology and business of intensive plant cultivation. Her research led her to dream of attending Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama, to learn all about becoming a plant specialist.

Her sister, friends, and a few benefactors helped make her dream come true. It wasn’t an easy road for Whitlyn. School scholarships and financial sponsorship still didn’t cut it every semester; but Whitlyn’s faith was large. There were days while she studied that she didn’t have food to eat. She learned to be resourceful, and attend campus meetings, because they would always have refreshments. Step by step, the school terms went by and she survived.

She earned her second Bachelor’s Degree - this time in landscape horticulture with a minor in agronomy and soil science. Whitlyn was the first person in her family to attend college; making her achievements at university level even more special. Her mother, the late Olive Sweeting Gibson, is her biggest inspiration. Although Olive did not get to attend school, she made sure her children did - and she passed on to them wisdom that money can’t buy.

While at Auburn, a professor encouraged Whitlyn to find her niche. She looked at her country’s high import bill, and the fact that so much of the produce being sold to Bahamians are of poor quality, and her niche was born.

Whitlyn is the proud owner of Sunset Organic Farm. The farm, which has been in operation since 2009, started out right in her backyard. Today, she is operating 2.76 acres on Millar’s Road. The challenge is that the land on which Whitlyn farms had been previously excavated for quarry. This has resulted in Sunset Organic Farm experiencing several flooding events, resulting in damage and loss of crops.

Undeterred, Whitlyn believes in her cause - being one of the people committed to self-sufficiency by being a food producer for her fellow countrymen.

“There are so many reasons I want to be a farmer,” she said.

“I want to provide fresher and better quality produce, richer in nutrients. I want to provide crops for the market that are highly perishable and cannot be shipped because of their shelf life (making it more sensible to purchase locally at a farm like hers). And I want to provide healthy choices at a better price.”

For those who know her, they wondered why Whitlyn would enter such a “risky business” when she already had a solid career.

“People would say to me: ‘All that money you invest going to school for horticulture’. ‘You’ll never make that money back’.”

After winning the top award this year, Whitlyn had a chance to reflect: “I was so ecstatic! When they called the first runner-up, I started jumping up and down. All I could say was thank you, Jesus! All of these farmers (who were nominated) are great farmers! I was so happy that I won! Now I could start some of the things I wanted to do! God is good!”

Whitlyn is always eager to learn more about her field; as a result in 2016, she obtained a certificate in Agricultural Policy, Food Security, and Climate Change. In 2017, she became a certified horticulturist and in 2021 she received a certificate in Produce Safety.

Whitlyn loves sharing her knowledge with others. She has made presentations on the following topics: edible landscaping; edible weeds; pruning; careers in Horticulture; and propagation. She has taught other teachers, civic organisations, churches, and doctors. As a member of the Kiwanis Club of Nassau AM, Whitlyn even assisted with planting fruit trees and planting a vegetable garden at The Nazareth Centre.

In her newfound career, Whitlyn has once again made history. She is the first farmer to grow leafy sprouts, wheatgrass, and bean sprouts for the local market. Whitlyn is married to Basil Miller, Jr, and they have one son, Basil Miller, III. Her granddaughter Zuri Miller, as young as she is, assists with harvesting and packaging the goods from her grandmother’s farm.

The Agrarian Awards, set to be hosted every two years by the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs, offered over $50,000 in cash and prizes for the 2023 inaugural event. The Minister’s Choice Lifetime Achievement Award went to Diann ‘Lady Di’ Thompson, who won $10,000 and a seven-day cruise for two to anywhere Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines travels. The Prime Minister’s Youth Male Farmer of The Year is Ventoi Bethune, who won $5,000. The Prime Minister’s Youth Male Farmer of The Year is Fredrica Dames, who also won a $5,000 cash prize. The Backyard Farmer of the Year is Latoya Hutchinson, who won $2,500. The Governor General’s Community Farm award went to Huel Moss, who won $5,000 in supplies. The School Farm of The Year is HO Nash Junior High, which earned $5,000 in supplies.

To enjoy Whitlyn’s produce as well as her vegan dishes, visit her at the Gladstone Road Farmer’s Market on Saturdays between 8am and 4pm, email her at sunsetorganicfarm@yahoo.com, or call (242) 565-2273.