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If you live in the community of Airy Castle, St Thomas, chances are you may have consumed farm produce grown by the Cousley couple.

Sixty-eight-year-old Lester 'Ranny' Cousley and his wife Shirley have joined hands to help with the fight against COVID-19 by feeding persons in their community from their local farm since they haven't been able to sell the produce.

"Mi use to go town, but because a what a gwaan, mi have to just easy," Lester told THE STAR. "Not even Morant Bay mi nuh wah go because mi afraid. Mi nuh want no sickness in my old age now. I prefer to stay home, eat what I have or give to people."

Living by and practicing Rastafarian principles, the Cousleys see it fitting to help those in need.

"Mi is a Rasta man, and Jah say the more you give, the more you get," Lester said. "So I love to give, and people that don't have it, I would want to see them eat, too, and be comfortable. It nah go spell sense to have the things and a waste it. Mi have to give people because Jah will take away my blessing if me selfish.

Love to give

"I love to give because it is when you give that you get, and that is the right way," Shirley said. "I always tell my husband to give it away to people because it doesn't make sense to throw stuff away when people are hungry and want it."

She said that giving is natural for her.

"Mi grow with mi grandmother, and from mi a child, mi always see mi granny a give away things, so mi grow up with that love to help people once I have it," she said.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the Cousleys have managed to give away a variety of produce from their four acres of farmland.

"A whole heap a banana mi give away since me cyah get to sell them," Lester said. "A over 20 bunches, plus plantain, pineapple, and whole heap other things."

Not only Airy Castle residents have benefited from the Cousleys' farm.

"Other day, a friend of mine come from Kingston, and mi just give them banana and plantain," Lester said. "Anybody at all come and say to me them want food or anything else, is nothing for me to give who want it.

"We have to give people because is just me and mi woman alone, and wi can't eat everything. It nuh make sense to have them spoil."