Ital Shack is seeking to enlighten the community on the benefits of farming, natural foods and healthy eating and to show how it can be accomplished at its first ever Ital Fest, to be held at Emilio Wilson Park on LB Scott Road this coming Sunday, February 24, from 11:00am to 6:00pm.
Calling it a day for the entire family, Ital Shack owner and main coordinator Roland “Ras Bushman” Joe told Out ‘N About that the event will feature cooking demonstrations, sale of healthy foods and presentations by a number of knowledgeable speakers on a range of subjects related to healthy eating, agriculture and St. Maarten’s culture.
Nature’s Discount will also be on hand with a line of its natural products on display and for sale. Vendors, who would like to join the event, still have time to do so and can visit Ras Bushman at Ital Shack on Bush Road or call +1 (721) 523-7861.
Ras Bushman said two cooking demonstrations are planned for the event where the public will get a chance to learn how to prepare tasty, healthy treats such as vegan ice cream and vegan pastries such as sweet potato pudding and coconut tarts. Additionally, a range of freshly made natural juices will also be on sale, such as mauby, sorrel and ginger.
The rich line-up of speakers will include retired Police Major John Roumou, who will talk about agriculture and the island’s history’s as it relates to planting and using the soil for food and nutrition; Tee-Zan representative Tasheena Maccow Thomas; Mervyn Butcher of government’s Livestock and Agriculture Inspection Department; and Anguillan farmer Ras Elijah, who will elaborate on farming. Speakers’ presentations are expected to start around 1:00pm.
Ras Bushman is excited about the upcoming event and about educating the population about farming and the healthy, natural way of eating. He and his team have been busy planning the event since last year August and are happy to be able to pull it off.
Ras Bushman said he has been leading a healthy lifestyle for years with his “ital” lifestyle. “Ital was the beginning of veganism. Vegan evolved from ital and I would like to make people more conscious about their health,” he said. “This will be the first time I am doing this. As a Rastafarian, I have come a long way with ital from the days when it was felt that it was a problem to eat healthy and take care of yourself. Now it has evolved and been given a different name – vegan. We have to make people more conscious about going vegan and keeping it natural and pure and to know that our food is our medicine. Once we eat healthy, we know that our body won’t get sicknesses and diseases that you have around now, especially with stroke and cancer. It is time to go back to agriculture and plants.”
Entrance to the event is free, but natural products will be on hand for purchase. Ras Bushman urges everyone to come out to the event and enjoy a day of education and health. He said families should also bring their children because they also need to learn about this. “Once we get kids involved, then we can have hope in the future to revive agriculture because it starts with them,” he stressed.
