Today I am staying pretty close to Kansas City but will visit eight farms. My first two stops will be in Bonner Springs, Kansas.
Randy Tillery’s farm is located along the Kansas River which I am sure he is hoping will stay in its banks this summer. Last year when I visited Randy’s farm he had so much standing water in part of his field that a family of ducks had taken up residency. This year it looked beautiful, as did all the farms I visited since weeds have not started to take over the plants yet. No one was working in the fields yet so I just roamed through the rows enjoying the cool breeze and the sight. Randy has a great variety of produce planted but is known for his melons, assortment of peppers and sweet potatoes. Randy has not yet started coming to market this season but should be back towards the end of June in stalls 46 and 47, just look for the green umbrellas.
My next stop is actually near downtown Bonner Springs. I was a little leery getting out at Herb Lee’s farm, I was not sure if his dog was friendly or not so I gave him a call and luckily he was home. I don’t get much of a chance to visit with vendors when they are at the market since everyone is way too busy, so it was nice to have a chance to chat with Herb. Herb’s family has been at the market since he was a small toddler; he is now in his 70’s. He use to farm 30 acres but since he has gotten older has downsized to farming 8 acres and leasing out part of his land. Herb used to be a big sweet potato grower but will probably not plant any this year, he does have potatoes from last fall which he has stored in his basement over the winter. Herb was a little late getting his plants in but has greens ready for market. You will find Lee’s Vegetable Wonderland in the middle shed in stalls 57, 58 & 59 most Saturdays.
Now I head towards Kansas City, Kansas to check a new vendor, Nhiaxiong Herr. They are not home but give me permission to walk back to their garden. Nhiaxiong has not started coming to the market yet but should be ready latter this month. Nhiaxiong has everything planted on a hill side, from the road you would not even relies there was a garden there. Nhiaxiong will be on the daily waiting list on Saturday and maybe Sunday. They have eggplant, squash, green onions, cilantro, lemon grass, zucchini, okra, cucumbers and cut flowers.
Just down the road I stop at the new location of Hmong Vaj Vang Farm. Last year Chiong farmed on the north side of KCK, this location is much larger, about ten acres. What a beautiful farm, a mixture of vegetable plants, herbs and flowers. Chiong gives me a tour and explains some of the plots are tended by family members. They all get together to tend their plots and to visit with their family. What a great way for a family to stay close. Trellises are ready for climbing squash, Chiong reuses the trellises each year, many farmers take them down each year, till up the ground and then reassembles them. What a lot of work! You will see pictures of vegetable plants that are covered with yellow flowers; Chiong lets the plants flower so they can collect the seeds for next season. Another interesting thing I learned today. Chiong grows sweet potatoes, not for the potatoes but for the leaves. He tells me they are very good. Vaj Vang Farm is at the Market every Saturday and Sunday, stalls 68 and 92 on Saturday and 86 on Sunday.
I always love visiting my next vendor; she grows the most beautiful flowers. See Vang is also in Kansas City, Kansas not far from Parallel Parkway. I was happy to see that See had expanded her garden this year to include more vegetables. This year her stalls will include Lettuce, green onions, sweet peas, okra, eggplant, squash and cucumbers. Enjoy the pictures of her beautiful flowers. See is at the Market every Saturday and Sunday in stalls 135 & 136 on Saturday and 82 & 83 on Sunday.
My next Stop was only a few blocks away at the farm of Choua Lor, John Vang and Cha Vang. As with Choing Vang’s family, many of the relatives’ have a section of land they farm with other family members. The Vang’s farm reminds me of a large patchwork quilt. The square sections of plants and flowers just flow along the hillside. It is really beautiful. I only saw one person in the field who was very busy working and I really did not want to disturb her. I have been at this farm many times so I just continued to follow the narrow path which leads to the bottom of the valley. This is why I truly love the days I visit the vendors farms. It is always very peaceful and the plants have a beauty all their own.
Cha Vang has another section of land behind their house but I need to get to Parkville, Missouri before it gets too late, so I will save it for another time.
I head south down 435 towards the 45 highway intersection, you can’t miss Floyd and Mike McFarland’s farm in the outskirts of Parkville, Missouri. McFarland plant farm is known for their flowers and vegetable plants in the early spring, but this time of year they are focusing on growing produce. I never stop by the McFarland’s when I don’t find them hard at work in their fields. (Except when Floyd is bowling) Mike has added Napa cabbage to their long list of vegetables this year, Napa cabbage is a brighter green than the normal cabbage you see. Floyd is trying something new this year, he is separating each variety of tomatoes he grows; I think he told me this would help stop cross pollination. I learn something new every week. McFarland Plant Farm is at the Market every Saturday through most of November if we don’t get an early frost. They are in the first shed closest to 5th street in stalls 0, 1 & 2.
My main reason for going to Parkville this week was to visit Lloyd and Addie Horn. Dry Lake Farm is named after the road the farm is on, the farm might be anything but dry in the next few days. The Horn’s farm along the Missouri River and live on the other side of the levee and a small lake. They lost their home in the floods of ’93 and stand a good chance of doing so again this summer. Addie has a commercial bakery in their home where she bakes wonderful pies, cookies and rolls which go very fast on Saturday’s. Lloyd has already rented storage units in town in case they need to start hauling out Addie’s baking equipment. I can’t imagine what it must be like to not be able to do anything but wait and hope we don’t get too much rain. Lloyd has planted 600 cherry tomato plants which should start producing in the next two weeks; he might not ever get a chance to pick them. If the flood waters don’t breech the levee the water could still kill his plants from underneath and rot the roots. With all this going on Lloyd was still his normal cheery self, and explained the two basic types of tomatoes were basically vines or bushes. Lloyd pointed out what he had planted in each row as we sat at a picnic table under a big shade tree. I just can’t get past the idea that this could all be gone within a week. If all goes well you will find Dry Lake Farm in the 3rd shed north side of the Market every Saturday and maybe Sunday, just look for the pies.
Let’s hope for just a little rain to make the crops grow but not so much that they wash away.
Next Thursday I will be heading down to Southern Missouri with Deb Churchill as my co-pilot.
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