Matthew Chin
Reporter
matthew.chin@guardian.co.tt
Eden John, a local researcher and entrepreneur, prioritises her ambitions over relationships and naysayers. John is adamant that her busy schedule is not a barrier to her objectives, but rather the path that will get her there as she juggles the demands of running an agouti farm and investing in her tea business.
As a first-year part-time student in the MPhil Livestock programme at the University of the West Indies (UWI), her research focuses on neotropical animals, particularly the shy and hairy agouti, which she has grown fond of over time. Her daily routine encompasses visits to the agouti unit at the UWI University Field Station, located in Mount Hope, where she supervises the animals and makes sure their enclosures are cleaned.
“I go to the unit, take care of the agoutis, clean up everything, and then I would come back up to UWI,” John said. “Right now, my research is to do with a chemical process to know the protein and fat content in the agouti’s liver and (flesh), and I’m also working with the chemistry department on doing amino acid and fatty acid analysis on the agouti’s heart and the (flesh) itself.”
She also noted that the agouti’s flesh on the farm is healthier compared to some of the domestic animals, such as cows and pigs. Being around the agoutis daily, she understands their behaviour, including their surprising ability to climb when necessary.
“If I move too fast, yes, they’ll get startled. But they would start to climb. We have tall cages, floor to ceiling, and they’ll climb that, if there’s an opening, they’ll just dive out. They are very agile,” John said.
Before enrolling at UWI, John studied at the Eastern Caribbean Institute of Agriculture and Forestry (ECIAF) at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) for two years, where she earned a Diploma in Agriculture.
While an agouti’s diet typically consists of fruits, nuts, and seeds, another observation she has made regarding their appetite occurs when their hunger takes control.
“If the agoutis are very hungry and have access to a chicken, they’ll demolish that chicken. One time, the guard said he heard a chicken bawling. When I reached in the morning, there were no feathers in the cage; they ate everything,” John said.
She also mentioned that agoutis possess incisors capable of taking off your finger and other extremities if you’re not careful. This is why, she said, wearing boots and knowing their behavioural traits is important when handling the rodent species.
Spilling the tea
Besides being a student, John is also an entrepreneur. The 26 year old started her tea business, Green Produce Ltd, which offers customers a variety of teas such as lemongrass (fever grass), bay leaf, cinnamon, sorrel, ginger, and turmeric. She plans to expand the entity by utilising other local plants in her teas via mix-and-matching. The teas are locally grown and pesticide-free. Green Produce Ltd was revamped and officially launched in 2021.
She admitted that her tea business is not one of her goals but that the idea had taken form while studying agriculture. The idea came to her when she was assigned to create a product for an ECIAF fair during her final semester.
“Talking with my father, we decided to do local teas. My grandmother had most of the teas growing by her. I did the packaging of the tea bags, the labels, the logo, everything; it was a hit. A lot of people liked it,” John said.
John also admitted that using Canva (an online app for creating social media graphics) was a big help when she started to conceptualise and create the designs for her packaging. This allowed her to bypass the expense of paying a graphic designer to do the work.
She added that her father’s teachings were the source of her entrepreneurial grit.
“I have always had my father’s words singing in my head since I was young: Be your own boss. There’s nothing wrong with working for someone, but strive to sustain yourself and not be dependent on anyone,” John said.
“With those words running through your mind constantly, I decided to focus on doing a tea business.”
Thanks to a gorgeous piece of privately owned estate, she gathers leaves and roots from local plants that act as the foundation for her business.
She shared with the Sunday Guardian WE magazine that one of the ways she gets customers to keep drinking her bay leaf tea is due to its strong flavour. “It’s not a local variety of bay leaf; it’s African, there’s more potency in it,” John said.
The welfare of animals
Although it can be said that many Trinbagonians love their dogs and cats, there are, unfortunately, instances of animal neglect that occur during the holidays when fireworks dominate the sky. As an animal lover herself, John urged members of the public to take care of their beloved companions and to remember that they, too, have feelings like us.
“If you have pets, that’s your child, you’re not going to leave your child to starve or let them wander the road while fireworks are going on,” John said.
“I have one agouti; I call him my son. Every time I go to the unit, he’s right there by the gate watching me. When I bring the feed, he’s right by me. The rest of them are very skittish, but he’s more domesticated; I have a bond with him.
“Animals have feelings. You don’t want to treat them badly, and they in turn treat you badly, so, for me, the end goal of the work I’m doing is to have an agouti farm. You want a product from the agouti; therefore, you need to treat and care for the animals so you’ll get the best quality product in the end.”
Time
John stated that she was running out of time for anything besides studying outside the lab, where research and rigorous lab work are done.
“I like the arts, but in the last two to three years (acrylic painting) fell to the wayside because of school and going to the farm, doing research, and then the orders for the teas. I really don’t have time to do anything,” John laughed. She added, “I hope to do the PhD programme soon.”
She added that some people had questioned why, at the age of 26, she was still unmarried and devoted to livestock. She replied to these inquiries by saying she would rather focus on her education and is sure that a romantic partner would find her when the time is right.
Eden John is a part-time MPhil Livestock student at the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine. She is originally from Arima and has two siblings, Esther and Joshua.
To get in touch with John, check her Instagram account–
@green_produce_ltd_teas
or email
greenproduceltd.teas@gmail.com
RAPID-FIRE QUESTIONS
1. Beyonce or SZA?
SZA.
2. Favourite movie?
I haven’t seen a movie in a long time.
3. Which is cuter: agoutis or capybaras?
I like the capybaras; they’re cute, and they have the lil’ nose and small ears.
4. One surprising fact about Eden John?
I’m very in tune working with livestock. I will continue doing the teas, but having my own farm and my own livestock unit is what I aim to do.
