from the ground up
Sisters’ Ancestral Roots run deep into the soil of Chirandu Farm
By amanda cather
Marcey Guramatunhu didn’ t want to farm. When she called a realtor in 2020 about the 26-acre parcel of rolling land in Dickerson with a view of Sugarloaf Mountain, she had something else in mind: a tea house, nestled in verdant fields and surrounded by flowers.
Step into one of the four high tunnels at Chirandu Farm on a rainy spring morning five years later, and you are immediately struck by the earthy green scent of life and the mosaic of crops in the raised beds: glossy multicolored Swiss chard, a textured patchwork of lettuces, and the frilly, aromatic leaves and flowers of cilantro. Marcey moves among her crops in a rust-colored T-shirt and green overalls, her hands deft as she pulls a weed, rubs a leaf between her fingers, and sifts the rich black compost she’ s imported from Pennsylvania.
Chirandu Farm is now a vibrant testament to resilience, heritage, and the transformative power of land. Marcey and her sister Precious cultivate organic vegetables and specialty African crops using sustainable and regenerative practices.
The name“ Chirandu” carries deep cultural significance, rooted in the sisters’ Zimbabwean heritage. In the Shona language, it is associated with the Moyo totem and serves as a clan praise name, symbolizing strength and protection. This ancestral connection is woven into the fabric of the farm, reflecting the sisters’ commitment to preserving and sharing their roots.
Chirandu has become more than a source of fresh produce— it is a cultural bridge. Immigrants from across the African diaspora find comfort in familiar crops like pumpkin leaves, horned melons, and other vegetables rarely seen in grocery stores.“ They’ ll come for the pumpkin leaves,” Marcey says,“ and then they try the tomatoes, the cilantro, the kale— and they want to buy it all.”
The farm is located in Montgomery County’ s Agricultural Reserve, a 93,000- acre zone established in 1980 to protect farmland and open space. Home to more than 500 farms, the Reserve contributes
18 plenty I summer growing 2025