St. Croix’s Locavore Revolution

Deep in the St. Croix rain forest, farmhands pack boxes with Malabar spinach, West Indian gherkins, passion fruit. The bounty is bound for members of a farm-share program that’s among the first in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Once the breadbasket of the Lesser Antilles—its arable land is a rarity in this corner of the Caribbean—St. Croix turned industrial in the 1960s and now relies almost entirely on imports. Last year’s closing of a large oil refinery here coincided with a back-to-the-land trend.

“The new movement isn’t just about growing local food; it’s about the whole island’s health,” explains Nate Olive, owner of Ridge to Reef, which draws agritourists to explore the organic-certified farm and sleep in rustic cabanas under mango trees. It’s the sort of place where goats amble among trumpet flowers, reggae wafts through a hammock hut, and homemade hot sauce is laced with dried moringa leaves.

Elsewhere on the island: Sejah Farm raises Boer goats and runs a market near the old Bethlehem Sugar Factory, and Artfarm’s tidy plot cultivates figs and greens for restaurants such as Savant, with its romantic patio in the shadow of the 18th-century Fort Christiansvaern.

Tip: Eat local at Virgin Island Agrifest (February 15-17) and St. Croix Food & Wine Experience (April 14-20).

This piece, written by Diane Daniel, appeared in the November 2013 issue of National Geographic Traveler.

Book your next trip with Peace of Mind
Search Trips

Read This Next

How to plan a mountain break in Switzerland's Jungfrau region
The best gear for rainforest hiking
Misty peaks and monasteries on the Trans-Bhutan Trail

Go Further

Subscriber Exclusive Content

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet

Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars?

How viruses shape our world

The era of greyhound racing in the U.S. is coming to an end

See how people have imagined life on Mars through history

See how NASA’s new Mars rover will explore the red planet