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Farm Happenings at Mhonpaj's Garden
Farm Happenings for August 28, 2021
Hello Members!
This is Mhonpaj Lee this year is one of the most busiest season for us. Mhonpaj real estate as she is preparing other farmers to buy land and farm. We are also packing CSA. School is comming soon and we are prepping for our squash will hopefully come in soon. This season is so unpred1 read more »
Farm Happenings for August 21, 2021
The season is blowing by so quick, we can not believe it is mid August already. A few vegetables to look forward to in the next few weeks are watermelons, sweet peppers and hot peppers. If hot peppers are not your thing, don't worry. We will still have plenty of other vegetables to choose from, so1 read more »
Farm Happenings for August 14, 2021
A much needed rainfall!
We spent the last few days scheduling around the rain to continue to weed, care for our plants and succession plant what we could for these last two months of this season. It is crazy how fast the end of the growing season is approaching.
This week we feature Carrots,1 read more »
Farm Happenings for August 7, 2021
Hello Friends! This week exciting is corn and hierloom tomatoes we got it to come in this week.
I just wanted to share Phanat and my story. We were also featured on the podcast with MN350 to create more food hubs in the Twincities and a legislation for the Headwaters Bill to create awareness1 read more »
About the farm
Mhonpaj’s Garden is a 9-acre certified organic vegetable farm owned by May Lee and her daughter Mhonpaj. With 5 acres in Stillwater and 4 acres in Marine on St. Crox, May and her family grow a variety of vegetables, bedding plants and herbs.
In 1980, May, her husband Chue, their children and May’s mother immigrated to the United States from Loas as refugees. They found work farming conventionally, but when May’s mother was diagnosed with cancer after working with pesticides in the United States, May knew she needed to start farming organically.
May’s daughter Mhonpaj was connected with the Minnesota Food Association (MFA) and learned about their New Immigrant Agriculture Program (now called the Farmer Education Program). The Lee’s were accepted into the three-year program, which gave them access to the MFA’s 60-acre certified organic incubator farm, Big River Farm, and connected them with a Hmong-speaking coordinator who helped them find resources and answer questions about organic farming. Together they resolved issues ranging from drip irrigation setup to product liability insurance to insect control.
In 2010, the Lee’s “graduated” from the MFA program and went on to become the first Hmong-owned certified-organic farm in Minnesota. May and her family now farm leased land along the St. Croix River.
In addition to farming, May spends lots of time educating other growers about organic practices through the MFA and as a Master Gardener volunteer for Ramsey County. She and her family also share their culinary heritage through cooking demonstrations and classes.
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In 1980, May, her husband Chue, their children and May’s mother immigrated to the United States from Loas as refugees. They found work farming conventionally, but when May’s mother was diagnosed with cancer after working with pesticides in the United States, May knew she needed to start farming organically.
May’s daughter Mhonpaj was connected with the Minnesota Food Association (MFA) and learned about their New Immigrant Agriculture Program (now called the Farmer Education Program). The Lee’s were accepted into the three-year program, which gave them access to the MFA’s 60-acre certified organic incubator farm, Big River Farm, and connected them with a Hmong-speaking coordinator who helped them find resources and answer questions about organic farming. Together they resolved issues ranging from drip irrigation setup to product liability insurance to insect control.
In 2010, the Lee’s “graduated” from the MFA program and went on to become the first Hmong-owned certified-organic farm in Minnesota. May and her family now farm leased land along the St. Croix River.
In addition to farming, May spends lots of time educating other growers about organic practices through the MFA and as a Master Gardener volunteer for Ramsey County. She and her family also share their culinary heritage through cooking demonstrations and classes.