FOR many Jamaicans, farming is a tradition passed down through generations, but for Jeanette Bartley, it was a bold pivot from corporate life to the freedom of entrepreneurship, and the start of her own family legacy.

Bartley was a fixture in Jamaica’s retail industry for over a decade, laboriously building her career through one-on-one relationships with customers and suppliers. Then in 2021, a call from her son, Leroy, sparked a dream to go into farming.

As if it were destined, Bartley’s daughter, Meneisha Grossett, was also considering making the switch. Having spent over 10 years navigating the high-pressure world of the bauxite, and construction industries, Meneisha was seeking a different kind of fulfilment. Together as a family, they decided to trade in their corporate gear for contract broiler farming in Rhymsebury, Clarendon.

“It had always been on my mind,” Bartley recalls. “And the rest, as they say, is history.”

They broke ground on Golden Oak Farms that year, and by 2023, the first chirping of baby chicks filled their new chicken houses.

The transition wasn’t without its hurdles because moving from the predictable rhythm of retail and construction into the living, breathing world of agriculture required a total mental shift for them both. And while Bartley was a veteran of people management and Meneisha was a specialist in the industrial sector, they were both newcomers to farming.

Luckily the steep learning curve of a new industry was softened by the safety net of their contract arrangement with the CB Group. They were offered a sophisticated framework that ensured the farm’s viability from day one, and by integrating world-class tunnel-ventilation technology, the family was able to maintain the most optimal environment for their birds. Most importantly, it provided the ultimate peace of mind for any new entrepreneur: a guaranteed payment at the end of each production cycle.

Reflecting on the journey, Bartley says that they weren’t just building a farm, they were stepping into a supported ecosystem. Whether it was the modern tunnel ventilation technology, or the constant presence of technical field officers and veterinarians, Bartley says they never felt like they were walking the path alone.

“You have people who surround you with love and who are there with you daily,” she explained, recalling the “baby steps” of those early months. “You can call them at any time of the night or day. I remember one night the electricity went and the generator wouldn’t start. By 2:00 am, the technical team was right there in the dark with us, getting us back on the road. They make it so easy for us that it feels as if you’ve never worked a day in your life.”

This supportive environment allowed Meneisha to thrive as the farm’s operational heart. Bringing her construction background to the field, she approached the daily management with a builder’s precision and a mother’s care. While Bartley found the farm “relaxing” compared to her high-stress retail past, Meneisha found that it became her sanctuary; a place where she could apply her technical mind to something she truly loved and that belonged to her.

Tragically, Meneisha passed away recently, leaving a void that felt insurmountable at first. But as Bartley began to pick up the pieces to carry on their vision, she discovered that her daughter had left behind more than just a memory; she had left a manual for survival.

“I just find Meneisha’s books,” Bartley revealed. “She itemised everything: the vitamins, the nutrients, the cleaning schedules from the day the chicks arrive until the crop is finished. It’s as if she knew she was going, and she wanted to make sure we were okay.”

Meneisha’s meticulous “Menz Method”, as the family fondly refers to it, has now become the farm’s official guide. And alongside the staff, whom she treats like family, Bartley continues to work with an added sense of purpose, honouring the camaraderie and the systems Meneshia built.

Today, Bartley isn’t looking back with only sorrow; she is looking forward with a promise. Despite the challenges agriculture is facing after Hurricane Melissa, Golden Oak Farms is expanding with the continued security of their contract arrangement.

The family is currently adding two more climate-smart broiler chicken houses to the property and Bartley shared that she already has the names picked out in honour of the daughter they called ‘Menz’.

“We are calling them ‘Menz 1’ and ‘Menz 2’,” she said with pride. “She was so passionate about this. We have to carry it on for her.”

Bartley’s other children are now joining the business and her granddaughter is already showing a love for the land. The bold pivot of 2021 has become a permanent foundation for a lasting legacy for her daughter. So, in the quiet of Rhymsebury, the work continues, the chicks are still growing and the farm continues to excel as a living, breathing testament to a mother’s courage and a daughter’s lasting dream.

Jeanette Bartley, who is living her farming dreams as a former career woman, is also now carrying on the legacy of her late daughter through two new tunnel houses named after her at Golden Oak Farms. 

Jeanette Bartley (left), her late daughter Meneisha and her granddaughter Zion on the Golden Oaks Farm in 2025.