Homegrown: Gachagua Meets Kenyans Producing African Traditional Vegies In The US
You can take a villager out of a village, but not the other way around.
Charles and Truphena Choti, a Kenyan couple now living in the United States, are the epitome of this phrase.
Prof. Choti and his wife live in Poolesville, Maryland, and have introduced an authentic taste of Africa to the United States.
AfriThrive Cultural Farm grows a wide variety of traditional African vegetables, preserving their heritage while feeding a community far from home.
The farm is a thriving agricultural oasis, growing a variety of African vegetables such as managu (African nightshade), mrenda (jute mallow), Kunde (cowpea leaves), terere (amaranth), sagaa (spider plant), and misheveve (pumpkin leaves).
You can take the villager out of the village, but you can't take the village out of the villager.
— Rigathi Gachagua (@rigathi) July 25, 2025
In the middle of the United States, the villager instinct in me went seeking out for my fellow villagers.
Prof Charles Choti and his wife have brought the village right to the… pic.twitter.com/QA5DTC2vGb
These veggies are well-known in Kenya for their therapeutic powers and flavorful accompaniments to meals.
Their farm is about more than just cultivating food; it’s also about spreading the African tradition to other continents.
Because of the unique value they provide, their farm attracts thousands of people, not just Kenyans but also other Africans who want to experience a taste of home away from home.
Through their veggies, the Chotis help Africans reconnect with their roots and restore a sense of belonging. Each vegetable evokes memories.
Their campaign has caught the notice of Rigathi Gachagua, Kenya’s former Deputy President, who is currently in the United States.
Gachagua visited the farm and was thrilled with how the family is carrying on Africa’s history.
DCP Party Leader H.E Rigathi Gachagua visited the AfriThrive Cultural Farm in Poolesville, Maryland, during his ongoing U.S. tour. The farm, run by Prof. Charles Choti and his wife, grows African traditional vegetables such as managu, murenda, terere, and black jack, reconnecting… pic.twitter.com/waJWqhhTDl
— DCP TV (@_DCPTV) July 26, 2025
Gachagua complimented the Choti family on their endeavor, and the former DP recognized the Kenyan spirit’s ability to survive anywhere.
“I am very proud of the Kenyan spirit of thriving anywhere in the world and placing our culture and traditional practices at the global stage,” wrote Gachagua in part.
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“I was excited to refresh my memory that the black jack (bidens pilosa), which, while elsewhere believed to be a wild weed, is indeed a delicious and medicinal vegetable.”
The former DP urged Kenyans and other Africans in the United States to patronize Choti’s and participate in the cultural shift.
“My people, Our dear people in the States take advantage of this farm and consume the kunde, murenda, managu, okra, terere, and the black jack grown right here by Prof. Choti,” Gachagua continued.
The Choti’s narrative demonstrates how immigrants contribute to the economic and cultural richness.
By transforming property in Maryland into a vibrant hub of African agriculture, the Chotis are preserving Kenyan, or African, culture on a foreign continent.
Homegrown: Gachagua Meets Kenyans Producing African Traditional Vegies In The US
