From Bean Counter to Bean Grower: My Journey with Vanilla
Antonina Marenco Antonina Marenco

From Bean Counter to Bean Grower: My Journey with Vanilla

I love plants and botany but I am far from a botanist, having spent 40 years of my life sitting on a chair in an office as a Chartered Accountant! I knew that I needed expert help in starting my vanilla farm, growing vanilla, pollinating it and processing it to finally get the luscious brown bean. Find out about the expert who flew accross the oceans to help me.

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Vanilla Farming in the 21st Century: How Technology and Collaboration Make a Difference
Antonina Marenco Antonina Marenco

Vanilla Farming in the 21st Century: How Technology and Collaboration Make a Difference

Vanilla Paradise Nevis is the only vanilla farm on the island of Nevis, and we are passionate about farming sustainably. We use an automated irrigation system that was designed and installed by Lorenzo Jeffers, a local entrepreneur from Palms Estate, Nevis. This system helps us conserve water and create optimal growing conditions for our vanilla plants.

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Announcing Immersive Tours of Vanilla Paradise Nevis
Antonina Marenco Antonina Marenco

Announcing Immersive Tours of Vanilla Paradise Nevis

Vanilla Paradise Nevis, the first and only vanilla farm on the island of Nevis in the Caribbean, is now offering immersive guided tours. Delve into the incredible world of vanilla orchids and find out how we grow organic and sustainable vanilla on the beautiful island of Nevis.

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Vanilla Voyages: A Globe-Trotting Adventure Through Festive Flavours
Antonina Marenco Antonina Marenco

Vanilla Voyages: A Globe-Trotting Adventure Through Festive Flavours

Ho ho ho! It's that time of year again. Here at Vanilla Paradise Nevis, we can't believe December is well under way. We've already opened a few Advent calendar windows, sent off our letters to Santa, and our minds are filled with thoughts of all the delicious festive treats we'll be preparing. Since vanilla is our passion, we thought we'd embark on a journey around the world, just like Santa's epic flight on December 24th, to discover how Christmas would be incomplete without this most indulgent of flavours.

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Rescuing the Bees: Vanilla Paradise Nevis' Unexpected Adventure
Antonina Marenco Antonina Marenco

Rescuing the Bees: Vanilla Paradise Nevis' Unexpected Adventure

While the satisfaction and hard work of running a farm are often in the spotlight, what about the challenges and dangers that lurk on the land and beyond? Allow me to share the tale of when Vanilla Paradise Nevis faced the removal of a bee’s nest. If you've never been up close and personal with a bee’s nest before, read on—it's a treat!

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Unveiling the Essence of Vanilla Paradise Nevis: A Trio of Nature in Our Shade Houses
Antonina Marenco Antonina Marenco

Unveiling the Essence of Vanilla Paradise Nevis: A Trio of Nature in Our Shade Houses

At Vanilla Paradise Nevis, our organic vanilla farm on the picturesque island of Nevis, we have reached a significant milestone. While the official inauguration of our farm is on the horizon, we couldn't resist giving names to our three shade houses, each reflecting the vibrant surroundings and essence of Nevis. Find out the inspiration behind the names, the significance of each, and the role of our dedicated farm workers in bringing this vision to life.

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The Nevis Vanilla Pollinator: A Botanical Mystery 
Antonina Marenco Antonina Marenco

The Nevis Vanilla Pollinator: A Botanical Mystery 

My name is Gina, and I have the singular honour of tending to the first and only organic and sustainable vanilla farm on the island of Nevis. Today, I stand at the crossroads of curiosity and wonder, for I have stumbled upon an unexpected treasure in the forest, and with the find comes an enigma. I invite you to read this peculiar mystery story…

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Isiah Parry: A Nevisian Wood Craftsman
Antonina Marenco Antonina Marenco

Isiah Parry: A Nevisian Wood Craftsman

When I embarked on my plan to found a vanilla farm on Nevis, I knew I was in for a lot of hard work and that I couldn't do it alone. In our ongoing series, featuring the local people who are helping me, let me introduce you to Isiah Parry, a gifted craftsman and tree expert who has played a vital role in preparing the wooden posts needed to support the growth of our vanilla plants at Vanilla Paradise Nevis. Isiah's deep connection to the land and his unique approach to his craft make him an invaluable member of our team.

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Meet The Team: Building a Sustainable Future for Vanilla Farming in Nevis
Antonina Marenco Antonina Marenco

Meet The Team: Building a Sustainable Future for Vanilla Farming in Nevis

Welcome to the first chapter of our series dedicated to the hard-working individuals behind Vanilla Paradise Nevis, our organic vanilla farm nestled on the stunning island of Nevis in the St Kitts and Nevis Federation. Our journey begins with Trey Mills, a skilled heavy machinery operator from Chicken Stone Village on Nevis. Trey's dedication and expertise have played a crucial role in shaping our farm's sustainable future.

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Toni the Canine Vanilla Connoisseur : My Best Friend on the Farm
Antonina Marenco Antonina Marenco

Toni the Canine Vanilla Connoisseur : My Best Friend on the Farm

Meet Toni, the dog who helps me on my organic vanilla farm in the island Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. Toni is a Rhodesian Ridgeback female who was born in Switzerland but came on a one way ticket to Nevis when she was 4 months old.at Now 2 years old, she's a loyal and protective dog who is always at my side, getting involved in all I do around the farm.

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Alex Coconut’s Water Stand: Fostering Sustainable Community Practices
Antonina Marenco Antonina Marenco

Alex Coconut’s Water Stand: Fostering Sustainable Community Practices

If you are a Nevis resident or frequent visitor to the island, you will no doubt be familiar with a very welcome roadside stand, opposite the Malcolm Guishard Recreational Park at the top of Pinney’s Beach. It is a very popular place, and you may have to park some way off to order what is on offer. But this is no ordinary coconut water stand; it represents an essential element of the organic approach we have adopted at Vanilla Paradise Nevis to cultivate our precious vanilla. For us, it’s not only what is being sold on the spot that is interesting: it’s a whole package and it’s one of the most important parts of growing our vanilla.

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Beyond the Flowering Season at Vanilla Paradise Nevis
Antonina Marenco Antonina Marenco

Beyond the Flowering Season at Vanilla Paradise Nevis

The end of the flowering season does not mean that it’s holiday time for us at Vanilla Paradise Nevis. Certainly, the laborious early-morning hand-pollination of the orchids is over, and our beans are growing, but now the second period of high intensity work on the farm begins. This consists of maintenance and making new cuttings for next year’s growth of flowers. What’s the next phase at Vanilla Paradise Nevis?

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Vanilla Orchids and Pollination Season at Vanilla Paradise Nevis
Antonina Marenco Antonina Marenco

Vanilla Orchids and Pollination Season at Vanilla Paradise Nevis

At Vanilla Paradise Nevis a very important season of the year is just coming to an end: the flowering season for vanilla orchids. This means that it’s also the end of the pollinating season. Watch as Gina Empson hand-pollinates a flower and learn why it’s done this way.

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