Norman Grindley - Hemsley Johnston.

Hemsley Johnston could possibly be the oldest living farmer in Jamaica.

Though many his age are bedridden and afflicted with a variety of illnesses, Johnston is energetic and personable - traits which belie the fact that he is all of 100 years old.

When THE STAR visited his home in York Town, Clarendon, he proudly showed off his sprawling estate, covered in sugar cane. Since the estate was entrusted to the West Indies Sugar Company a few years ago, Johnston has not done much farming, but told THE STAR that he tends to a small amount of cane that grows in his backyard.

Up to five years ago however, when he was the ripe age of 95 years old, Johnston, was an active cane farmer.

Though he now specialises in cane, he told THE STAR that in his days as a young farmer, he grew corn, peanuts, red, black-eyed and cow peas, as well as potato and yam.

Johnston received no formal training in the field of agriculture, but his contribution to the industry and to the parish of Clarendon, is undeniable. The centenarian received an award at the recently-concluded Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial Show, for his contribution to that event. He told THE STAR that he served as a member of the show committee for several years, was chairman of the Clarendon Irrigation Authority and the Clarendon Development Cooperative.

valuable contribution

Hugh Blackwood, manager for marketing and projects at the Jamaica Agricultural Society, also told THE STAR that Johnston had contributed to the building of the Clarendon pavilion on the show grounds many years ago.

Of his award, Johnston said, "They took a lot of photographs with me and they put me on the grandstand beside the prime minister and gave me some kind of award. I feel well because a lot of people who do things don't get recognised."

Johnston was born in Panama, on February 14, 1908, and moved to Jamaica when he was two years old. He told THE STAR that farming has always been a part of his life and explained that even as a child growing up in Woodside, Clarendon, "I had my own little plot with cassava and potato."

He has two theories as to why he has survived this long and shared them with THE STAR. "Well, I stayed away from the ladies as much as I could, because they just take from you and you don't get anything. I also didn't drink exclusively. I took one or two drinks, but when I realised that it could get me into trouble, I stopped. I had to ease off drinking my blackberry and apricot brandy."

He added, " I have no illnesses as far as I know. My blood pressure seems to be alright. I just have a little pain in my right knee."

Johnston is satisfied with all his accomplishments and the father of three, whose wife passed away several years ago, said, "I think I've done quite a lot. I can't say I couldn't have done more. But now, I can just sit back, eat and drink now."

He stressed the importance of farming in the society and said, "I would suggest that people use their farmland as much as they can, to produce food for the nation. We could stop importing food if we produce more. We wouldn't need food from other countries. We could feed ourselves and maybe others."