About RASTAfarms

In November 1910, my great grandparents, Jeff & Catherine (Walker) Shirley purchased 150 acres of land in the Danton area of Orange County, Virginia. Sometime during the Great Depression, banks placed a lien on the property. The land became the Carter family homestead, after their daughter, my grandmother Mattie (Shirley) Carter acquired the now 185 parcel of land in 1947. Some of the capital was derived from the paychecks of her three sons serving in World War II that were sent back to help the family.
My mother, Fayetta, left the farm to attend Howard University, and made her home in New York and started her family there, marrying my father Kenneth who immigrated to the USA via the Netherlands Antilles. During my childhood, I visited the family farm during all of my breaks from school, working alongside, and learning from those same three heroes that helped acquire the land.

RASTAfarms was born out of that legacy. Combining the lessons learned on the land with the career experience in gained while serving in the US Navy, working throughout these United States, and as far overseas as South Pole Station, Antarctica to develop a holistic approach to land stewardship.

The mission of RASTAfarms is in the name, to provide Renewable And Sustainable Technology in Agriculture. Rastafarms is here to empower its clients, customers, and community through healthy foods, clean energy, and innovative solutions to the nutritional needs of our species and the wildlife we need to live.
Dispelling myths, promoting self empowerment. – Gary Pretty, RASTAfarms