Government Farm (North Caicos)

Seedlings for the Caicos Pine Recovery program.

This government-sponsored farm produces food and produce consumed primarily on North and Middle Caicos. Along with vegetables and bananas for consumption, native plants are grown here for conservation reasons, and goats are also raised. This was the location for raising seedlings for the Caicos Pine Recovery Project. Visitors are welcome.

The government farm is located between the settlement of Kew and Bellefield Landing, and opposite the turn for Wade's Green Plantation.

Conservation Work

The Government Farm also plays an important role in the preservation and recovery of many types of native plants.

The foremost focus is on the Caicos Pine (Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis) a unique variety of the Caribbean Pine. Due to an introduced scale pest from imported Christmas Trees, the Pine tortoise scale, the native pine populations on North Caicos, Middle Caicos and Pine Cay saw a serious decline in population. The propagation of resistant strains of the pine has been conducted, and seedlings have been reintroduced to their natural environment.

Other species of indigenous plants may also be seen, including the Buccaneer Palm, West Indian mahogany, sacred lignum vitae, and Caicos orchid.

The farm is also home to some of the National Trust's projects.

Produce

It varies a bit by season, yet the crops at the Government Farm generally include tomatoes, peppers, squash, pigeon peas, lettuce, papayas, plantains, bananas, maize, okra, and beans.

Fruits and vegetables from the farm can seasonally be found for sale at the Graceway Gourmet and Graceway IGA supermarkets on Providenciales, and at occasional farmer's markets in the Downtown area.

Located in Kew

Kew is a small village on North Caicos, and is found on the interior southwest region of the island. This settlement was one of four original villages on the island, and traditionally has been the center of agriculture in the Turks and Caicos. The North Caicos ferry lands near Kew.