Backyard Pepper Garden Transformed into a Brand

A woman’s love for farming has blossomed into a flourishing small business that is now making its mark on supermarket shelves and gift shops in western Jamaica.

Dedicated farmer and food processor, Sheryl Kerr-Palmer, of Whithorn in Westmoreland, has transformed her backyard pepper garden into a brand that is not only feeding her entrepreneurial spirit but also inspiring others.

“I farm peppers and from that I used it to make pepper sauce. My business name is Sherly’s Homemade Pepper Sauce,” Mrs. Kerr-Palmer told JIS News.

Today, her product line includes two varieties, the original Sherly’s Homemade Pepper Sauce and a zesty Sorrel Flavour.

The products, which are made in a section of her kitchen modified to meet standards set by the Bureau of Standards Jamaica, are now in three supermarkets in the parish as well as a gift shop in Negril.

“My company is registered with the Companies Office of Jamaica and the Bureau of Standards Jamaica. I am a registered farmer with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), and, recently, I registered with Tax Administration Jamaica,” Mrs. Kerr-Palmer noted.

“I am very happy that I reach this far. I never envisioned this success, but here I am today,” she added.

The entrepreneur’s story did not begin in a business seminar or agricultural expo, but in a support group meeting at the Savanna-la-Mar Clinic. It was there that she encountered RADA’s Social Services Home Economics Officer, Camille Ambersley, who spoke about farming as a pathway to opportunities such as entrepreneurship.

The message resonated with Mrs. Kerr-Palmer, who approached Ms. Ambersley afterwards.

That conversation led to a visit from the RADA officer, who assessed her setup and encouraged her to think bigger.

This engagement led to the transformation from casual backyard farming to the development of a structured business.

“I was a backyard farmer for six years prior to all of this, and I have been doing the sauces for about five years now. I currently grow my peppers in a 40×20-foot greenhouse in my backyard,” Mrs. Kerr-Palmer told JIS News.

“So, this journey has been very inspiring,” she added.

Mrs. Kerr-Palmer’s kitchen now doubles as a processing hub that is specially designed to ensure her sauces are made in a clean and safe environment.

Moreover, she receives good support from her family members who pitch in during busy periods, and this further guarantees that each bottle meets the consistent quality customers have come to expect with every purchase.

She also gets encouragement and support from a farmers group in her community. Whenever her own yield dips, she will lean on her peers for additional peppers to keep her small-scale production going.

“To Jamaicans, especially the younger generation, if you love farming [then do it]. You don’t have to have a big space. So, even if there are 20 small containers you have and have them in a secure place, fence it around, water your plants and take pride in it. Just farm,” she encouraged.

RADA continues to play a supportive role in Mrs. Kerr-Palmer’s business development.

Ms. Ambersley regularly notifies her of upcoming functions and events, where Mrs. Kerr-Palmer displays and sells her products to expand brand awareness and build clientele.

From Ms. Ambersley perspective, Mrs. Kerr-Palmer’s success reflects RADA’s broader mission to strengthen Jamaica’s food security through grassroots initiatives.

“One of the targets for RADA’s Social Services Home Economics Unit is to establish backyard gardens and other similar initiatives that the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, in a bid to strengthen the country’s food security, encourages citizens to grow their own food,” Ms. Ambersley said.

“Now, many Jamaicans have successfully grown crops in their backyard gardens and Mrs. Sheryl Kerr-Palmer is one such person,” she added.

Through RADA’s Production Incentive Programme, Mrs. Kerr-Palmer received hot pepper seedlings that helped launch her commercial venture.

What sets Mrs. Kerr-Palmer apart, according to Ms. Ambersley, is her industrious nature and commitment to her craft.

Not content to simply produce, the woman farmer actively invests in her business as well as takes the initiative to visit supermarkets, sell her products, and leverage social media to promote her sauces and engage new customers.

“So, Sheryl is one of those persons who [is using herself as an example to] tell others that backyard gardening can be a lucrative venture. It can also be therapeutic and helps with your physical activity and nutrition, as you control what you eat,” Ms. Ambersley told JIS News.