Blue Mountain Herbs & Spices / Long Road Co-op

The Long Road Co-op, which began in 1990, consists of 150 farmers who have small plots of land and engage in mostly subsistence farming in a remote district in Jamaica. The Co-op is attempting to organize marketing to make farming more profitable, so that young people will be attracted to stay in the community, rather than seek a very dubious future in the ghettoes of Kingston. The Co-op's main business is marketing fresh produce, and it also serves as a community group which has organized to improve services like roads, water, education, etc. The spice packaging and drying business is added on for two reasons: it provides a market for farmers for goods which they have readily available, but cannot otherwise sell, and it provides employment in Long Road itself. Presently 3 women are employed in the spices, and several others find part-time income at home from the chocolate balls, banana bark cards, and brooms.

The Long Road Co-op's herbs & spices are featured in the Global Exchange Gift Basket, The Spices of Life.

Long Road Cooperative
PO Box 5 Annotto Bay
St Mary, Jamaica
809/996.2378 phone
809/996.2410 fax
royacker@infochan.com