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Farm Happenings at Mhonpaj's Garden
Farm Happenings for August 24, 2022
Another successful week on the farm. We got lots of the day to day tasks completed with the additional help of the kids. They have become very inquisitive, asking lots of random questions. I love answering their questions, because it show me that they might be interest in taking over the farm some1 read more »
Farm Happenings for August 17, 2022
We have baby chicks on the farm. At first we thought we would just try raising laying hens, collect eggs to add to our CSA and have some leftover for consumption. However, our kids have been very persistent and convincing about adding that task of raising chicks to our flock. Not exactly what we ha1 read more »
Farm Happenings for August 10, 2022
Hooray, the peppers are here. Still at a limited quantity at the moment, but I am so excited because my wife makes an incredible stuff bell pepper with choice of meat, cellophane noodles, cabbage and black fungus. Add some roasted sweet carmen peppers with shishitos and you have an out of the world1 read more »
Farm Happenings for August 3, 2022
Hi,
For the most part, the season is going as expected. Here is a photo from the farm.
Courtesy of Amy Trcka. Thank you very much for sharing your recipe on pickled green beans. Yum!
Pickled Green Beans
Fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed 2lbs equal 4 pintsClove garlic peeled -1 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.