significantly to the local economy while preserving the county’ s rural character. Chirandu stands out not just for what it grows, but for whom it serves. Montgomery County is home to more than 54,000 African immigrants— about 16 percent of the county’ s foreign-born population— and many have become Chirandu’ s loyal customers.
Marcey and Precious are considered beginning farmers by USDA standards, having operated Chirandu for less than ten years. But their agricultural knowledge runs deep, rooted in their childhood in Zimbabwe.“ You had to weed a row before walking to school,” their sister Ruby remembers.“ Every morning,” Marcey adds with a laugh,“ and I hated it!”
Unlike many new farmers, who cite land and capital access as the most formidable barriers, the sisters were able to secure a loan from MidAtlantic Farm Credit( now Horizon Farm Credit) to purchase the land.“ I liked that you become an owner,” Marcey says, noting that her first year’ s dividends nearly offset the interest on her loan.“ It was the easiest loan application I ever filled out. They were so helpful.”
Today, Chirandu Farm generates enough income from production to pay its mortgage. Marcey estimates yields and income with ease: one hundred pounds of mustard greens at $ 3.50 a pound, another hundred pounds of chard, rows of head lettuce with even higher returns. Her background in finance helps her manage both the numbers and the long-term planning required for a successful operation. She’ s secured local grants for infrastructure and equipment and credits neighboring farmers for sharing advice and support. Volunteers also play a key role— especially a University of the District of Columbia staffer who has helped optimize Chirandu’ s productivity through fertility management and irrigation improvements.
Chirandu is also deeply embedded in Montgomery County’ s local food system. The farm partners with Manna Food Center’ s Farm to Food Bank program, which purchases produce, eggs, meat, and more from local farms thanks to county and philanthropic funding. Chirandu’ s participation ensures that culturally relevant, chemical-free food reaches families experiencing food insecurity. The farm also works with Community FarmShare, founded by Jennifer Freeman, which connects people at risk of diet-related diseases with fresh produce from nearby farms. Through these partnerships, Chirandu not only supports public health and food access— it also strengthens the economic viability of small-scale farming. But these relationships may be
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