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It was a strange time in a foreign land and my only reminder of home was the delicious Jamaican food that my mother lovingly cooked. Now in my mid-60s, I consider myself to be British-Jamaican – after a long and laborious process of becoming naturalised – and I’m proud of who I am and where I come from. Something I celebrate every year on 22nd June: Windrush Day.

My childhood was spent growing up in Birmingham living in complete poverty. As the eldest of nine, it was my job to help my dad on the allotment, where he grew vegetables to supplement food for the family. It was here, away from our crowded two-up, two-down, I first dreamt of owning a farm in the great British countryside – an ambition of mine that became a focus of everything I did.

I’m the first to say I was a troublemaker at school and left with undiagnosed dyslexia and no qualifications. After being dishonourably discharged from a brief stint in the armed forces – I told you, a bit of a rebel – I trained as a chef and started flipping burgers. Still determined, I talked my way into television, eventually becoming a producer of food and drink shows for the BBC. It was here I gave many top chefs their big break on the small screen – Gordon Ramsay, James Martin and Anthony Worrall-Thompson included – before founding my own food and drink marketing company.

Then, several years ago, I almost lost my life to Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. Thanks to the incredible work of the doctors and nurses, I miraculously pulled through, although the stem cell transplant needed to stop the cancer returning left me with vitiligo and extremely sensitive skin. Which is why I’ve created Wellbeing Pause: a line of all-natural products made in Britain that encourage you to give yourself time to rest, reflect and rejuvenate. Our health is most definitely our wealth.”

Years later, I finally realised my dream of owning a farm in Devon, where my neighbours quickly coined the name ‘The Black Farmer.’ This led to me launching my own brand offering quality British products with unexpected twists across food, drink and lifestyle that I hope my customers love as much as I do.

Welcome to my shopping experience”

Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones MBE
AKA ‘The Black Farmer’

MY WINDRUSH STORY

I was born in Frankfield, Clarendon, Jamaica. In fact, I was registered as being born on the 7th November 1957 but my Mom insists I was born on the 8th! She says I was born with a single strand of grey hair which, according to folklore, is a lucky sign.

My parents decided to come to the UK, like many of their generation, to seek better opportunities for themselves and their families. They left me to be looked after by my Mom’s relatives and they came to England to earn enough money to send for me and my sister later. We didn’t arrive on HMS Windrush but by plane some two years later.

To this day I still remember the shock of arriving in the middle of winter in a strange country and, because of the time we spent apart, to come and live with strange people – who I was told were my parents. Back then my only reference point of familiarity was the Jamaican foods that my mother cooked, which were a reminder of home.

Although I had lived in this country since I was five, technically I was a foreigner because the British and Commonwealth passport that I arrived on was no longer valid. The only way I was able to claim permanent status was to go through the long and laborious process of becoming naturalised. I did so in my late 20s. If I hadn’t, I could have ended up in the same position as some of my contemporaries who came to this country at the same time as me and were threatened with deportation

Now in my mid 60’s I am very proud to be a British Jamaican. People often wonder why from such a small island extraordinary people arise and make a great impact on the world. Think of Bob Marley, Usain Bolt and many, many more. Well, we Jamaicans know the secret. It is down to the food we eat and love!

Every year in June there is a Windrush celebration day. I believe it is very important to celebrate as it gives us as a nation the opportunity to reflect on how we as a generation have contributed to the greater good of Britain.

BECOMING THE BLACK FARMER

I am the classic poor boy, done good! After my family came to the UK in the Windrush years in the 1950s, we settled in inner-city Birmingham. I’m from a family of 9 children, and we lived in poverty.

My dad had a much-prized allotment where he grew vegetables that supplemented the family food. As the eldest boy it was my job to help tend the allotment and it was there that I found some space away from the very crowded two up two down that we all lived in. It was on that allotment that I first dreamed of owning my own farm, a piece of the British countryside, and it was that dream that became my focus in everything I did.

I was a troublemaker at school. My dyslexia was then undiagnosed, and I left school with no qualifications. But I didn’t let that stand in my way.

I had a brief and unsuccessful stint in the Parachute Regiment (I have a Dishonourable Discharge to my name) after which I trained as a chef and spent some time flipping burgers.

Unqualified but ambitious and persistent, I talked my way into television, eventually becoming a producer/director for the BBC. I travelled the world making films about food and drink with the BBC Food & Drink programme and am credited with bringing many of the top celebrity chefs to the small screen including Gordon Ramsay, Antony Worrall-Thompson, Brian Turner and James Martin, before founding a food and drink marketing company in London.

It wasn’t until I was 40 years old that I fulfilled my dream to purchase a small farm on the Devon/Cornwall border. It was here that my Devon neighbours coined the term ‘The Black Farmer’ and this inspired me to launch my own brand – The Black Farmer.

Flavours without Frontiers – the promise offered by my products also goes some way to sum up my personality. I will not be confined by race, convention or tradition. I also have very strong opinions on issues such as rural affairs, justice for small producers and giving young people more opportunity. I launched a rural scholarship scheme through which young people from inner city communities are given the opportunity to experience what it is really like to live and work in the rural community.

My life and love of food spans both urban and rural ways of life and my The Black Farmer brand celebrates that passion. Everything I do is bold and possibly a little eccentric!

LEUKAEMIA, GVHD and PAUSE

As with many things in life, you never expect the unexpected. In my late 50s the unexpected happened to me. I was taken ill with Leukaemia and nearly lost my life. Thanks to the very fast work of the Doctors and Nurses at UCHL I pulled through.

I now have to take very good care of my skin and can only use products that are for sensitive skin. During the first lockdown I was living in complete isolation and I decided to turn my hand to making soap and candles. I even created a brand name: Pause – Relax, Reflect, Rejuvenate. Of course, the lull didn’t last and I was back to putting my full energy into my business! I didn’t want to let Pause go, so I decided to source hand-made products that have been specifically developed for very sensitive skin and only use natural high-quality oils. Made by a small family company on Dartmoor, I hope you will agree that these are truly lovely products. There’s even something for your canine friend!

The only course of action open to me to prevent the Leukaemia returning was to have a stem cell transplant. The transplant certainly saved me but has left me with Graft versus Host disease (GVHD) which attacks many of my organs – including my skin.

MY LOVE OF MORRIS DANCING

I love all things British – particularly the eccentricities, like Morris Dancing! For some years I’ve worked with a wonderful troupe called the Dartmoor Border Morris, you can see me and Treggie in the photo below. I find the whole experience energising and really connects with the history of a local community.

Despite only being in the early days of my recovery after Leukaemia, I got out and about with Treggie and his troupe!

Morris dancing’s rich history and how each and every troupe has its own identity and story absolutely fascinates me – and I love being part of it and creating awareness of this wonderful dance tradition to a much wider and more diverse audience.

The vibrant movement, costumes, music and colour, really captivates my senses. I simply relish the camaraderie, unity and flamboyance of the sport and its British tradition. With the paraphernalia of bells and flowers there is something very beautiful about Morris dancing. It’s the way it unites a group of men and women for the simple enjoyment of dance and celebration of life. I consider myself a true Morris Man. Long live Morris Dancing!

If you’re new to Morris Dancing, it’s a tradition that dates back to as early as 1448, Morris Dancing really is an art and has long been enjoyed by Englishmen and women. Well known in England before the Spanish Armada, the Gunpowder Plot and even the Wars of the Roses, Morris Dancing boasts over 500 years of the evolution of a dance!

It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers. Dances are unique to each troupe, who often don bell pads on their shins and use other implements including sticks, handkerchiefs and swords as part of the dance and story-telling. Dancers clap their sticks, handkerchiefs or swords together to match with the dance. And, of course, the outfits! These reflect the history of the troupe – I hope you like my hat which I created. As usual, I wanted to stand out from the crowd!

SCARLETT’S BARN
A private and picturesque getaway

“Scarlett’s Barn is a little slice of paradise on my lovely farm in Devon where I have created a home-away-from-home for my customers. Secluded and peaceful, it’s surrounded by some of the most spectacular scenery the British countryside has to offer, with amazing views and stunning sunsets. There’s room for a family of four or a group of friends across two bedrooms with a shared bathroom, well-equipped kitchen, comfortable living/dining room and downstairs cloakroom. With the sights of both Devon and Cornwall on the doorstep, as well as spectacular beaches with excellent surf and great walks, its location is hard to beat, too.

Email michaela@theblackfarmer.com to make a booking.

DON WILFRED

While I was in hospital for the best part of a year recovering from Leukaemia and a stem cell transfer, I decided that when I got out I was going to travel to Spain and visit Jerez – the home of Flamenco dancing. It was there that I fell in love with everything Spanish – the food, the life, Flamenco!

I visited so often that I acquired the name Don Wilfred! It was irresistible to me not to create a brand – and so I did. My first product is Don Wilfred Rum which perfectly combines my love of Spain with my Caribbean heritage, home of the finest spirits.

It has real personality and great flavour. Every sip lifts the spirits and takes you to the place where joy and contentment come together. It is perfect served on ice or a great base for a Cuba Libra (rum, coke and lime juice).

There is definitely more to come from Don Wilfred. First in line is Don Wilfred Brandy! It encapsulates all that I love about Spain – its warmth, colour and aromas.

Watch this space!

JEOPARDY

In my years of recovery after Leukaemia, it gave me some time to reflect on my life and the lessons I have learned as a businessman and entrepreneur – and to look at those things I could pass on to others to help them on their journey.

The result was my book Jeopardy – The Danger of Playing it Safe. In it I argue that our natural instinct for caution is one of the greatest barriers to making progress in life, and shows how embracing jeopardy is essential if you want to succeed.

Drawing on a life that has taken me from a deprived childhood in inner-city Birmingham to becoming one of the nation’s most famous farmers, I demonstrate how we can all go further in life by learning to escape the fears that stop us from achieving our ambitions.

In this book, I hope to show that only by embracing jeopardy, and liberating ourselves from the shackles of uncertainty and self-doubt, can we realise our full potential.

What could you achieve, if you decided to stop letting fear hold you back?

MBE

I am humbled and honoured to tell you that I can now add MBE to my title! On Thursday 24th June I was awarded an MBE for services to farming, which I will wear with pride. From a poverty-stricken member of the Windrush Generation living in inner city Birmingham, facing the racism and prejudice prevalent during my childhood in the ‘60s, to receiving an MBE… I truly cannot believe it.

It was an exceptional day at St James’ Palace with my daughter Scarlett at my side – I felt like I had stepped back in time as the architecture is phenomenal and the building historic. From my 2 up 2 down terrace with my 9 siblings, to my tiny allotment in Birmingham, to my own farm in Devon, to St James’ Palace… it goes to show that dreaming big can pay off.

But I shan’t stop there. It is my life’s mission to inspire people and to ensure that young people receive the opportunities I had. As Britain’s only Black farmer, I am passionate about taking action to address the lack of diversity in farming. My brand and motto ‘flavours without frontiers’ really sums up this philosophy – I feel at home on my farm and it is my hope that others can have the opportunity for the countryside to become a place they can also call home.

HONOURS AND AWARDS
The Royal Agricultural University

I have one mission and that is to help invigorate and inspire the next generation of British farmers, to encourage diversity to the industry, and to strengthen what I see as the backbone of British society.

So to be invited to join RAU’s Governing Council is a huge honour for me. I’ve been lucky enough to have worked with the University on several initiatives previously, including the Young City Farmers Scheme, which has given me the opportunity to help shape the pathways and passions of future British farmers.

As one of Britain’s only black farmers, my role as Governor will allow me to bring more diversity to the British agricultural industry but also to attract new, fresh blood to it. Our farmers are the lifeblood of British agriculture and I’m fiercely passionate about educating and attracting young people to the industry.

Honorary Degrees

It is with great pride that in 2021 I was awarded an Honorary Degree for Distinction in the Farming Industry from Writtle Agricultural College in Essex. I hope that through this award it will inspire others considering a career in agriculture to go for it. I want to encourage those who are not from a traditional farming background to get involved in farming and find themselves a rewarding career.

Back in 2012 I was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Marketing by Plymouth University in Devon, UK.

Joining Forces with Good Business Pays
A Commitment to Small Businesses and Inclusive Recovery

My unwavering passion for championing small businesses has been the guiding light in my entrepreneurial pursuits. I am thrilled to share that I have taken on the role of Director at Good Business Pays, an organisation that echoes my devotion to empowering small businesses and fostering economic growth.

At its core, GBP is dedicated to expediting payments to small suppliers, offering them a lifeline to overcome the devastating ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic and catalyse the UK’s economy. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our nation’s economic expansion, employing 61% of the private sector workforce and accounting for 52% of turnover. Regrettably, around 50,000 small businesses confront closure annually due to cash flow challenges, underscoring the urgency for change.

By aligning myself with GBP, I am pledging to tackle the issue of slow and late payments head-on, whilst advocating for an inclusive recovery that embraces businesses of all sizes. Collaborating with GBP affords me the opportunity to work hand in hand with influential business groups, hundreds of thousands of UK businesses, and millions of customers to shape a more sustainable and robust business environment.

I am honoured to be part of this game-changing movement and eagerly anticipate driving meaningful change for small businesses and the broader UK economy. United in our efforts, we can cultivate a future in which businesses flourish, and our communities thrive.