Laurentum Gardens: Finding freedom off-grid, unplugged

In the quiet, green heart of Matura, far from the morning gridlock and concrete heat of city life, a family has carved out a new life deep in the forest.

Isha Laurence, her husband Stephon and their children, Zuri and Kulture, now run Laurentum Gardens, an emerging oasis of farming, agro-processing and off-grid living at the corner of Toco Main Road and Carib Street. Laurentum comes from the Latin form of their surname, Laurence.

“We started about three years ago and moved up here roughly four years now,” Isha says, smiling as she watches her toddler Kulture explores the yard.

Her journey wasn’t always rooted in soil and sunlight. “I did insurance all my life, but the commute from San Fernando to Tatil in Port of Spain was madness. Life felt like it was on repeat. Too monotonous. You hit traffic by 7 am and you are back in it by 4 pm. Month after month, waiting on the 25th to get paid. It became too much and adding Matura to that routine made it even more difficult.”

So the family walked away from the hustle. They chose a fully off-grid lifestyle, no electricity, no television and no tablets flashing in anyone’s face.

“It was the best decision,” Isha says. “My eldest daughter ended up excelling and getting 12 CSEC passes. No distraction, just life, focus and family.”

For the family, daily life now revolves around farming, crafting and creating. While Kulture attends secondary school, Isha and Stephon grow their own produce, cold-press their own coconut oil and make a wide range of pepper sauces and dried spices. Their pepper sauces come in roasted, lime green apple, pickle, passion fruit and even roucou varieties. As the business grew, the family quickly added dried spices and liquid herbal medicines. Every learnt skill became an avenue to add another product to offer their customers.

They also farm bees and extract their own honey, which they infuse into many of their products. A skill learnt after stumbling upon several hives while clearing land for their home and garden.

What began as casually selling a few items along Toco Main Road quickly grew into a fully stocked shop. Today, tourists passing through Matura look for Laurentum Gardens by name. Life in the forest demands early mornings and late nights. “It could get frustrating at times,” Stephon admits. “But the work has purpose.”

“I experimented with watermelon, which was our main cash earner, but started changing toward more long-term crops to sustain the garden.

So I’m planting plenty dasheen, cassava and green fig.”

The family now produces plantain chips, fruit juices infused with their honey, wines and a growing line of agro-processed goods. Nothing goes to waste. Even the traffic flow influences their production schedule and what is sold during their Tuesday to Sunday opening hours.

“I want the pepper sauces as fresh as possible,” Stephon says. “When the children come home from school, they’re helping too. Everybody is involved.”

For nature lovers, Matura is one of Trinidad’s richest eco-tourism zones. Isha completed a short tourism course and worked with Nature Seekers, the renowned group dedicated to protecting endangered leatherback turtles.

“Eco-tourism is big up here,” she says. “If you really love nature, there are plenty of opportunities to make money, build something for yourself, and strive.”

Matura is one of the world’s major leatherback nesting sites. Each year, thousands of turtles come ashore, drawing global visitors. Families like the Laurences help support this flow with local products, authenticity and warm hospitality.

Stephon recalls a lesson from his school days that stayed with him. “Not everybody will be police officers. We need the shoemakers, the carpenters. The people who keep society running. Those are highly demanded people as well.”

For Isha, the greatest joy comes from the impact they have on others. “A lot of people depend on us now,” she says proudly. “And the tourists love to grab the items.”

What began as a family’s escape from burnout has blossomed into a model of sustainable living, entrepreneurship and community support.

Laurentum Gardens didn’t start with a business plan. It started with a longing for simplicity and purpose and evolved into a model of sustainable living that inspires every person who walks through its doors.

For many, it’s a reminder that peace still exists in Trinidad, growing quietly under the forest canopy.

If your journey takes you through Matura, follow the scent of pepper and honey. Look for the wooden signs, the rustic shop and the family who chose green over grey.