Our Story
Malachi Symonds started Just A Farmer with the vision to invest in the island’s future through food security, sustainable agriculture, and local innovation.Â
The name came from a playful exchange with his sister. She joked that he was “just a farmer”. He replied “I am, that’s exactly what I am.” What started as a tease became a declaration. Just A Farmer wasn’t just a business name — it was a reminder that farming is something to stand tall in. It’s honest work and it matters.Â
In 2021, the business launched with a modest operation of regenerative farming on leased government land in Devonshire. As the farm grew, so did the obstacles. Issues with planning highlighted a need for more conversation around the barriers faced by young farmers.Â
This lead to a shift in focus towards a sustainable model specializing in fruit tree maintenance, grafting, home garden setups, expert consultations, and community education.
Now, we provide over 50 varieties of fruit trees, herbs, vines, and plants to Gorham’s and Richie’s with the goal of empowering people through food sovereignty. We continue to educate through school visits, workshops, and consultations with the hope of bringing sustainability into homes, businesses and classrooms.
Meet the team!
With a wide range of backgrounds, expertise and lived experiences, our team brings together the science of sustainability and the creative vision to empower you to embody a sustainable lifestyle.
Malachi Symonds
Founder of Just A Farmer & Agricultural Engineer Â
Malachi Symonds is an agricultural engineer, environmental innovator, and founder of Just A Farmer, Bermuda’s solutionists dedicated to regenerative agriculture, food security, and community resilience. Just A Farmer is rooted in renewal—healing the soil, inspiring reconnection, and cultivating sustainability and food security through action. Its guiding tagline is: Renewing Land, Rebuilding Health, Reconnecting People to Food.
His connection to agriculture began in childhood through his grandmother, who taught him plant propagation and care—early lessons that shaped his respect for natural systems and self-sufficiency. Educated at Warwick Academy and Kodaikanal International School in India, Malachi developed a global environmental perspective through conservation work, marine research, and hands-on sustainability projects.
He earned his degree in agricultural engineering from EARTH University in Costa Rica, training in soil health, sustainable development, renewable systems, and ethical leadership.
Since returning to Bermuda, Malachi has built Just A Farmer using regenerative methods, integrated farming systems, and education-driven practices. His work supplies produce, plants, and fruit trees to the community and commercial partners, while modeling scalable solutions for resilient local food systems.
Sinaé Symonds
Head of Operations & Co-Founder of Just A FarmerÂ
Sinaé Symonds is a serial entrepreneur with a background in the actuarial and analytical space, bringing a rare blend of data-driven thinking and regenerative vision to sustainability work.
As Co-Founder of Just A Farmer, she applies spreadsheets, forecasting, systems design, and operational organization to agriculture—optimizing germination rates, greenhouse operations, and resilient farm systems that work in practice. Her work is rooted in renewal: healing soil, restoring connection to food systems, and advancing sustainability and food security through practical, scalable action.Â
She is deeply motivated by the belief that the sustainable lifestyles practiced by earlier generations—her mother and grandparents included—are not lost, but dormant. Through simple, intentional solutions, she works to restore these practices in modern contexts, starting in Bermuda and extending outward as models that can be replicated internationally.
Her leadership bridges strategy and stewardship, showing how analytical rigor, entrepreneurship, and land-based work can coexist to create meaningful environmental and social impact. She brings to boards a systems-level perspective, a commitment to regenerative solutions, and a belief that sustainability is most powerful when it is practical, inclusive, and lived.
Alexa Manuel
Food Security Specialist & Nutritionist
Alexa Manuel is a Bermudian food security specialist at Just a Farmer, with a multidisciplinary background spanning nutrition, agriculture, and sustainability. She holds a Master’s degree in Food Security from the University of Edinburgh, where her dissertation focused on Bermuda’s agricultural production, and earned her undergraduate degree in nutrition, shaping her strong interest in the connection between food systems and human health.
Born and raised in Bermuda, Alexa was exposed to agriculture from a young age, where she spent afternoons in the garden learning from her grandfather. She spent the past two years gaining hands-on experience locally and abroad, including work with Australia’s largest avocado producer and an internship at Bermuda’s Agra Living Institute. Her travels — including living aboard a sailboat for nine months and camping in the rainforest— have deepened her appreciation for the natural world and strengthened her vested interest in protecting it.
Alexandra is passionate about intersectional environmentalism and believes meaningful sustainability is achieved when all sectors work collaboratively and build upon existing cultural values, particularly Bermuda’s rich food traditions. She is committed to advancing resilient food systems, environmental stewardship, and community-driven solutions that support a healthier, more sustainable future for Bermuda.
