Esther Ondieki

Esther Ondieki owns and operates Canaan Greens Farm with her husband, Samuel Nyarige, and their family. They use organic farming methods to grow vegetables, including beans, melons, leafy greens, peppers, sweet potatoes, and traditional Kenyan crops (chinsaga, managu, okra, white corn). 

Esther grew up farming with her family in Kenya, and it was a central part of her family culture. It ensured that her family was well fed, allowed her parents to make money to pay for school fees, and served as a way to connect with the body and land. Farming is a beloved practice in Kenya that she is dedicated to continuing in Minnesota. 

When Esther first moved to the United States from Kenya, she met people growing traditional crops and noticed people using high amounts of fertilizer and chemicals in their production. She did not want to eat food that had been grown with synthetic chemical inputs, so she decided to start growing food for herself and her family. 

As Esther and Samuel gained access to more land and shared farming infrastructure at Sharing Our Roots, they began producing more than what they needed for their family and started selling to people in their community. Every year since, their market has expanded. Canaan Greens Farm is now selling at farmers markets in the Twin Cities, to small wholesale accounts, and directly to customers in their community.