Why Buy Local? Meet Zipporah and Jairus.
For Jairus Momanyi and Zipporah Gitamo, “Farming clears mind fog, nourishes yourself, and feeds your community. It is sustenance”. Jairus and Zipporah are devoted farmers, and owners of Ramsey Micro Enterprise Farm, committed to providing community with mixed vegetables that are organic, nutrient-dense, and culturally-meaningful. When asked what they specialize in, Zipporah responds, anything that's edible. Beets to kale, and everything in between, can be found on their farm - especially Kenyan cultural crops like leafy greens, cranberry beans, cowpeas, and so much more.
Zipporah and Jairus are from Kenya and they have both been farming since childhood. Zipporah started at seven years old, helping out on her parents' farm. There, they grew food for themselves and the community, and they also ran a tea plantation. Jairus and her moved to Minnesota in 2010, where they started a small garden to sustain their family, often freezing their vegetables to last throughout winter. They transitioned to a larger community garden plot, eventually moved to rented farmland around Northfield, then found their way to Sharing Our Roots.
On their plot at SOR, Zipporah says, “We plant a lot. It is all organic and the price is affordable and negotiable”. Purchasing directly from local producers like Zipporah and Jairus ensure that they can continue to offer such delicious, organic abundance at a fair price. When you buy from Ramsey Micro Enterprise Farm, you are supporting a local farm that sustains affordable access to healthy and culturally meaningful foods.
Their dream is to quit their day jobs and farm full time. They don't just want to run a business, they want to be a food resource for their community, just as Zipporah's childhood farm was in Kenya. Someday, she would like to teach farming classes to inspire the next generation to get into the dirt.
If you want to buy delicious local produce and support the dreams of Zipporah & Jairus, contact them directly at zipporahgitamo@gmail.com.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Sharing Our Roots relies on community donations to fund our work restoring land and providing immigrant, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ farmers with essential support. If you are able and inspired, please join us in our work to heal our lands and prepare emerging farmers by contributing a one-time or recurring donation. Thank you!
