Rooted to Rise: Clarenda Stanley on Building a Sustainable Brand

Kicking off Agripreneurship

Before launching Green Heffa Farms, Farmer Cee worked as a Global Environmental Principal Gifts Officer, raising multimillion-dollar funds for environmental causes. As an environmentalist and mission-driven individual, Farmer Cee felt a calling to pursue a journey in a new direction. Green Heffa Farms became a place of healing that allowed her to reclaim control, ultimately becoming her reimagined livelihood.

Rooted In Impact

Photo provided by Green Heffa Farms 

Individuals initially questioned her pivot. “It’s easy to minimize someone and say, ‘Oh, you’re just a farmer,’” she shares. But Farmer Cee was not just growing herbs; she was building a business. She pursued certifications, built networks and created a brand from the soil up.

Following the legalization of industrial hemp in North Carolina, Farmer Cee saw an opportunity to enter a new agricultural market. While hemp was the first crop born from the farm, Green Heffa Farms has since expanded to 30+ herb species.

Regenerative Agriculture

When Farmer Cee purchased her land, she made a pact: to treat it as her own, nurture it, protect it and never feed it poison. That meant no synthetic chemicals and no extractive methods. Instead, she committed to regenerative practices that honor the earth, such as cover cropping, composting and protecting soil biodiversity.

Green Heffa Farms became the first Black-owned farm in the United States to become a Certified B Corporation.

Her approach centers on the 4 E’s:

Economic Prosperity – Build wealth through ethical business.

Education – Share knowledge freely with aspiring farmers.

Equity – Advocate for access in a historically exclusionary field.

Environment – Protect land as ancestral heritage.

So, What’s the Tea?

As an herbal wellness brand, Green Heffa Farms focuses on transparency, education, and quality. From the leaves to the packaging, everything aligns with their mission:

• Certified B Corp packaging

• Mechanical tools to reduce fuel dependency

• No synthetic fertilizers or pesticides

• Direct-to-consumer distribution to ensure quality control

The Power of Branding

Farmer Cee’s background in marketing and fundraising became one of her strongest assets.

 “That’s why branding is so important for small farmers, small farming operations, because we don’t have the capital necessary upfront to pay people very well, to offer the benefits. And so, it’s very important to establish a customer base that believes in those values, and that’s educated on [them].”

Clarenda “Farmer Cee” Stanley, CEO of Green Heffa Farms

Looking Forward

As she looks ahead, Farmer Cee envisions a future where Black women farmers are no longer ‘firsts,’ but part of agriculture’s foundation. Where small farms thrive as hubs of community, culture and ecological restoration.

“Grow slow so you don’t owe. My farm is paid for. I’m not in debt, which means I don’t have to compromise values to ensure an ROI from someone that I may owe in a system that still owes.” – Clarenda “Farmer Cee” Stanley, CEO of Green Heffa Farms.

Starting a business is about taking small steps one at a time. Some days are rough, but when you take a step back and see all that you have accomplished, it provides a sense of relief for individuals. From attending conferences to going back to school, Farmer Cee has shown that her consistency in pursuit of growth has led her there, rightfully so.

A Call to Conscious Consumers

Clarenda reminds us that everyday purchases have power:

“Your dollars are the voice for your advocacy. Who you choose to have in your pantry or fridge—that’s a political statement. Small, boutique farms like mine are critical to the food, fiber and fashion industries. Support us. We had to do considerably more just to be here.”

Clarenda “Farmer Cee” Stanley, CEO of Green Heffa Farms. 

Every time you choose herbs from a regenerative farm, you’re voting for cleaner water, richer soil and a healthier planet.

About the Entrepreneur

Clarenda Stanley was named a recipient of the 2023 Distinguished Entrepreneurial Venture Award by the Ackerman Center for Excellence in Sustainability at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. In 2025, she was honored with the Davines Group and Rodale Institute First Good U.S. Farmer Award.

She continues to host workshops nationwide, equipping minority farmers with tools to build brands and advocate for themselves in a system not built for their success.

Learn more at Green Heffa Farms.

Author: Cenisario Cano