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Jamaican-born farmer earning millions on UK soil
published: Monday | December 11, 2006 <DIV class=KonaBody xtUVI="true">
John Myers Jr., Agriculture Coordinator
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, a Jamaican-born farmer admires the 40 acres of sprawling farmlands that make-up his farm in Devon, near Cornwall, in the United Kingdom - Contributed
From a bad boy to a millionaire, Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones has defied the odds and overcome the obstacles to become an almost perfect example of what a focused, determined and ambitious son of the soil can achieve in a foreign land.
The black farmer, as he is referred to by his white neighbours, has braved the gloomy British weather, blocked the distractions and racial prejudices and surpassed all expectations to establish one of the United Kingdom's most successful farms, generating millions of pounds annually.
"I am from extremely humble beginnings and I don't think there is anything special about me. I just think that I have been able to focus my way and the country that I have been in has been the sort of environment where you can do great things," he stated modestly.
Born in the rural community of Frankfield, high up in the hills of Clarendon in 1957, Mr. Emmanuel-Jones left the hills of the rural countryside for Birmingham, U.K., with his parents in search of better life at the age of four.
However, the dream of a better life was just a fairytale for the Caribbean native in his growing years as he, his parents and eight younger siblings were forced to live in a small house without the basic comforts that the relocation promised. So difficult were those years that he barely managed to get an education as the frustrations of a difficult life lead him down a troubled path.
"I left school without any qualification, I was a real bad bwoy as they say here," he revealed as he sipped on rum concoction from the hotel bar at the Sandals Grande Beach and Villa Resort in Ocho Rios, St. Ann. "I wasted my education and life was very tough for me as I was trying to sort out what I wanted to do," he continued.
Joining the army
But he soon realised his mistake and attempted to make good when he enlisted in Her Majesty's army, but that stint was short-lived as he was soon kicked out because of indiscipline behaviour.
At that time, "I realised that if you're going to make it in this world, you're gonna have to change ... to achieve things in life you've got to be focused, be disciplined and with that you can achieve your dreams."
With that in mind Wilfred enrolled in catering school and became a certified chef. Armed with a wealth of culinary skills, he ventured out into the restaurant circle where he served up some of his most delectable creations to the public.
He soon decided that it was not exciting enough for him and thought television would be a better stage for him. After a year-long struggle, 'the black farmer' got a foothold at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) where he worked as a producer/director of documentaries on food and beverages from around the world for 15 years.
This he enjoyed thoroughly, but being a true man of the soil the glamour of the job was not enough to distract him from his dream of owning his own farm. Here, he stayed until he had amassed enough "dough" to establish a food and drink marketing company which earned him enough money to purchase his 40-acre farm in the hills of Devon, near Cornwall in the United Kingdom for 250,000 pounds.
"I always think that part of my DNA somewhere there was always this sort of farming DNA so even though my parents went to
published: Monday | December 11, 2006 <DIV class=KonaBody xtUVI="true">
John Myers Jr., Agriculture Coordinator
Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, a Jamaican-born farmer admires the 40 acres of sprawling farmlands that make-up his farm in Devon, near Cornwall, in the United Kingdom - Contributed
From a bad boy to a millionaire, Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones has defied the odds and overcome the obstacles to become an almost perfect example of what a focused, determined and ambitious son of the soil can achieve in a foreign land.
The black farmer, as he is referred to by his white neighbours, has braved the gloomy British weather, blocked the distractions and racial prejudices and surpassed all expectations to establish one of the United Kingdom's most successful farms, generating millions of pounds annually.
"I am from extremely humble beginnings and I don't think there is anything special about me. I just think that I have been able to focus my way and the country that I have been in has been the sort of environment where you can do great things," he stated modestly.
Born in the rural community of Frankfield, high up in the hills of Clarendon in 1957, Mr. Emmanuel-Jones left the hills of the rural countryside for Birmingham, U.K., with his parents in search of better life at the age of four.
However, the dream of a better life was just a fairytale for the Caribbean native in his growing years as he, his parents and eight younger siblings were forced to live in a small house without the basic comforts that the relocation promised. So difficult were those years that he barely managed to get an education as the frustrations of a difficult life lead him down a troubled path.
"I left school without any qualification, I was a real bad bwoy as they say here," he revealed as he sipped on rum concoction from the hotel bar at the Sandals Grande Beach and Villa Resort in Ocho Rios, St. Ann. "I wasted my education and life was very tough for me as I was trying to sort out what I wanted to do," he continued.
Joining the army
But he soon realised his mistake and attempted to make good when he enlisted in Her Majesty's army, but that stint was short-lived as he was soon kicked out because of indiscipline behaviour.
At that time, "I realised that if you're going to make it in this world, you're gonna have to change ... to achieve things in life you've got to be focused, be disciplined and with that you can achieve your dreams."
With that in mind Wilfred enrolled in catering school and became a certified chef. Armed with a wealth of culinary skills, he ventured out into the restaurant circle where he served up some of his most delectable creations to the public.
He soon decided that it was not exciting enough for him and thought television would be a better stage for him. After a year-long struggle, 'the black farmer' got a foothold at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) where he worked as a producer/director of documentaries on food and beverages from around the world for 15 years.
This he enjoyed thoroughly, but being a true man of the soil the glamour of the job was not enough to distract him from his dream of owning his own farm. Here, he stayed until he had amassed enough "dough" to establish a food and drink marketing company which earned him enough money to purchase his 40-acre farm in the hills of Devon, near Cornwall in the United Kingdom for 250,000 pounds.
"I always think that part of my DNA somewhere there was always this sort of farming DNA so even though my parents went to
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