Reggae Roots, Urban Shoots: Rastafarian farming in Hartford
- May 6
- 3 min read
By Serenity LaChance
Hartford, May 5, 2026
One small farm has been making a large impact in the city of Hartford. Reggae Roots Farm offers a variety of fresh produce, herbal remedies, and agricultural education to the community that has long been lacking access to nutritious and affordable food.
With no supermarkets in downtown Hartford, many residents have to rely on local convenience stores and bodegas for their dietary needs. Urban farms like the Reggae Roots Farm play a vital role in increasing access to fresh, healthy food through farmers' markets and mobile pop-ups.
The belief in food as medicine is central to the farm's mission. Founder Farmer Keith Simms emphasizes natural and sustainable growing practices and their impact on healthy living. “I try to plant as naturally as possible... organic,” he says. “That is one rule we should abide by: making food as medicine, to repair our system and not to damage our system.” In addition to farming, Farmer Keith is also a chef who specializes in ingredients commonly used in Jamaican cuisine. His farms produce okra, callaloo, scotch bonnet peppers, pumpkin, collard greens, and more. The farm's prepared products such as hot sauces and fresh juices are made out this fresh produce.
Farmer Keith does most of the farming himself-- planting the crops on two acres of land during the previous sessions. His wife, Joanna Simms, supports the operation by managing the business side, including social media and grant writing.
Reggae Roots Farm operates out of multiple locations throughout the year. During the colder months, Keith works in a greenhouse at the Keney Park Sustainability Project (KPSP), a local non-profit dedicated to supporting farmers, educating residents, and promoting sustainability. Farmer Keith first connected with KPSP through its Venture Farming Institute, a cohort-based agricultural training program that is now operating its third and final year. Currently in its third year, KPSP has offered this program and continues to support the farmers long after their graduation including Farmer Keith.
In the warmer months, the farm is based on Bissell Ferry Road in South Windsor. Its products are sold at the North end Farmers Market, on Wednesdays at 80 Coventry Street, as well as at their farm stand in Bravo Plaza on Albany Avenue on Fridays and Saturdays in Hartford.
Herbert Virgo, Executive Director and founder of KPSP has worked closely with Farmer Keith and believes his work sets him apart. “Because of his (Farmer Keith) Rastafarian background there is definitely a deeper connection to the land and the people that is motivating him, as opposed to some other farmers that may be farming based on just necessity,” Virgo says. “I think he has that added layer of spiritual connection to the practice that you don't see in some other farms.”
Their impact extends beyond fresh produce. In October 2025, Reggae Roots farm hosted the first Connecticut Farmers Festival, bringing together farmers from the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut at the Keney Park Location to celebrate the harvest season. The event combined a farmers' market with a reggae concert. Farmers sold their produce with no vending charge; shared meals made from their crops and performed music on an outdoor stage. “We’re artists, too,” Farmer Keith says. “We create a space for environmental therapy”.
Looking ahead, Farmer Keith hopes to expand the farm's reach by adding more staff, acquiring more land, and investing in new equipment. While the operation remains small, his vision is ambitious. He is “always striving for better,” with plans to grow retail opportunities and strengthen the farm's role as a community resource. “The community comes out to get what they really need,” he says. “At a reasonable price.”
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