Locally Grown in St. Maarten / St. Martin
Discover Delicious Ways to Connect with the Island’s Fresh, Homegrown Flavors.
Culinary exploration is an essential part of any trip to St. Maarten/St. Martin. In the past year, there has been a steadily growing movement of local farmers taking on the challenge of limited land space and complex climate conditions to bring island-grown produce to home and restaurant tables.
While it may seem that a tropical island would naturally be a haven for food production, challenges with soil and terrain have limited its potential. In recent years, however, innovation and the islanders’ can-do attitude have led to more food being produced — whether from the ground, vertical gardens, or even reconfigured shipping containers.
Meet the Local Growers
Among those tackling these challenges is Denicio Wyatte of Spaceless Gardens. Wyatte, who holds a bachelor’s degree in multimedia technology, took to agriculture more than a decade ago after being inspired by his stepfather’s homegrown sweet peppers. “Since then, I have been on a selfnurturing journey into researching and experimenting with the best possibilities and approaches to implement agricultural and ecotourism development here on St. Maarten,” Wyatte shares.
Stephane Ferron of Rooted in SXM, like Wyatte, is passionate about growing food. “I cannot express enough how much I love mushrooms. They are so versatile to prepare, and there are so many varieties that it feels like a whole food group in itself.”
The goal for Rooted in SXM is to use up to 30 percent of waste from other local businesses to grow its produce. This waste includes coffee grounds from organic coffee users and byproducts from the local beer brewery. As for the mushrooms, Rooted in SXM has close to zero waste, as they create additional products from anything that cannot be sold fresh, such as dried mushroom goods. “It’s interesting — I’ve met quite a few locals who don’t like mushrooms, or at least didn’t. They just never had good quality, fresh mushrooms until now,” says Ferron.
Where to Find Local Food
Many farmers and those involved in animal husbandry bring their produce to farmers markets that pop up in various locations around the island. The St. Maarten Farmers Cooperative, dedicated to enhancing the production and distribution of agricultural products, hosts a farmers market on L.B. Scot Road in St. Peters at least twice a month.
The SXM Fresh Harvest Foundation also holds a farmers market, usually on the first Saturday of the month, at the Yacht Club Port de Plaisance. The Simpson Bay Market and the Market at the Marigot Waterfront are also excellent places to find a mix of locally grown and near-island-grown produce.
Next time you dine on the island, ask your server which ingredients on your plate are sourced from local farmers.
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