Craft and Culinary Products

What to Get in the Buff Bay Valley

Various agricultural products, craft and culinary items are on offer in the valley.

Operated by the Buff Bay Valley Marketing Co-operative, the Farmers’ Market in Spring Gardens has a plethora of produce to choose from, all grown in the valley. You will find vegetables such as cabbage, tomato, lettuce, eggplant, carrot, okra and pumpkin, grown mostly on the plains at the foot of the valley.
Ground provisions such as yam (Renta and St. Vincent), cocoa and dasheen are available along with cassava, which is ground into flour and used to make bammies; a bread handed down by the Tainos to the Maroons.

Head to the Herb Gallery at Charles Town for a sampling of the numerous herbs used for culinary or medicinal purposes. Used as teas or for spicing up dishes, many have reputed health benefits and are used to treat various ailments.  Add a bit of sweet to your brew with delicious honey, collected at The Honey Bar, our Bee keeping demonstration facility further up the road.

Higher up in the valley, the world famous Blue Mountain Coffee is grown but you can savour its delectable aroma and taste at the Travel Halt at Rose Hill. The Nyam Jam Travel Halt will also serve you delicious country-style cooking. Try Jamaica’s national dish – Ackee and Saltfish and the coconut based Run Down. Also look out for favourite Jamaican puddings and confectionary.

In addition to the farmers, there are several skilled artisans in the valley, producing craft and household items, both decorative and purposeful. Crochet, needlework, embroidery, basketry and straw work are skills that have been handed down from generation to generation with pride. Take home a piece of this tradition with the various souvenirs available at our Craft and Souvenir shop at Rose Hill.