Farmer Spotlight
Meet Donna Isaacs of DeLaTerre Permaculture Farms!
As a permaculture farmer and co-owner, Ms. Isaacs and her partner Waylon LeBreaux , specialize in using permanent agriculture to create efficient and sustainable ecosystems. They yielded their first rice crop using the SRI Method in 2021.
What sparked your interest in farming?
I worked in green building, doing outreach for an environmentally friendly home building nonprofit, sharing information about how rural residents could get money to fix up their homes. I pivoted into organic food production when I discovered that some seniors were only getting $16 worth of food stamps a month. We started doing community farming and helping seniors learn how to grow food in their backyard. In 2019, I purchased a home and 14 acres in Eros so I could live closer to my job. When I was furloughed during COVID, I pivoted and started farming for myself, with my partner, Waylon.
What is permaculture farming?
I think of it as permanent agriculture as opposed to annual crops that are planted every year. Growing up in Jamaica we ate off the land. We had a perennial food forest that we could use all year around. Most of the food that we ate was planted only once and harvested annually. Without knowing it we had a role model for what is permaculture or regenerative agriculture today. That is what we are doing here at our farm. The goal is to transition to permanent crops, like fruits, nuts and other edible food that will make up a food forest and that we don’t have to replant each year. As we age and the farm matures, we will see less annual production and more perennial crops, making it easier for us to care for the land. It’s all about doing the hard work now and having it pay us dividends later
What was your favorite comfort food growing up and who prepared it?
Ackee and saltfish and roasted breadfruit. As kids, we made it ourselves. The ackee was free, the breadfruit was free, and we pooled our money to buy a little bit of saltfish. It didn’t take much to make an amazing dish.