After checking my list of farms which have not been inspected this year I decided to head over to Kansas City, Kansas. I had six farms to visit, four of which are at the same location. Checking urban farms makes my day pretty easy with very little driving. The farms are usually located right off the main road, no driving for miles once you leave the highway.
I decided to go to Huns Garden first, which is right off Metropolitan Avenue. Pov Huns has been a vendor for years in the Farmer 100% category he also has one stall in the Farmer w/ Local Supplement category just in case he has a difficult year like this year. Pov can supplement 50% of the items in one of his stalls. The drought has taken its toll on the Hun’s farm. Although he has access to water on his property his produce is looking pretty taxed. Pov supplements his watermelons and cantaloupe from local growers. He did have a fairly good selection of flowers which they make into bouquets and sell at the Market. I think Chaxamone, Pov’s wife handles almost everything to do with the flowers. They still had zinnias, dahlias and sunflowers hanging on. After walking to the rear of the property I found a small field of tomatoes, eggplant, green peppers, small red Thai peppers and basil. Some of the area had been tilled and probably replanted but without rain there is no hope for a fall crop. Pov farms about 4 acres and has 3 high tunnels which are covered and one frame which is not covered. For more information visit their web site at www.hunsgarden.com
My next stop is made up of about 8 acres off Parallel Parkway which is divided among family members. This plot of land always reminds me of a big quilt with all its squares made-up of different plants. No matter when I visit this farm there is always someone in the field working. Today Yee Vang and his wife were busy picking Thai peppers, they are very small and I am sure very tedious to pick. I was so glad Yee was there to show me which section of land is assigned to which relative. He graciously pointed out the various plots and walked me through the areas that belong to him. It is nice to have someone explain each plant since I am not familiar with some of the items the Vang’s bring to the Market. I am amazed that their plants are doing as good as they are with no irrigating what so ever. Yee explains that the plants are much smaller and producing much less due to the lack of moisture and the extreme heat. Each section has many of the same items but tended to by a different brothers family. I think it is great that this 8 acre section of land helps support Yee Vang, Cha Vang, Choua Lor and Chiong Vang. Each of these vendors are in the Farmer 100% category and are at the market every Saturday and Sunday. They were still harvesting cucumbers, Tai peppers, lemon grass, Japanese eggplant, garlic, assorted flowers, basil, a plant which produces an edible flower and a plant they grow just for the leaves (sorry I did not get the name of these plants). Not sure how much longer they will be coming to the market if we don’t get some rain so they can plant some fall crops.
Last stop is at Lucky Farm. I always love walking around See Vang’s farm since it is acre after acre of flowers. The zinnias are still blooming but not as pretty as they usually are since the leaves are so burnt. The sunflowers were still beautiful and towered at least 8 feet over my head. I am sure the pictures will not do them justice. See is one of the few vendors that plants eucalyptus to include in her flower arrangements. The silver blue adds a beautiful touch to her bouquets. I am not sure what the yellow flowering plants are but they remind me of baby’s breath, just yellow instead of white, they are beautiful. See also grows a little produce. She still had some bitter melons, egg plant, cherry tomatoes and Tai peppers. I love how she has used sticks to make trellises for the plants to climb on, a nice change from the metal cages most farmers use. See is at the market every Saturday and usually on Sundays. You will find her in shed 3 stalls 135 & 136 on Saturday and shed 2 stall 82 on Sunday.
As usual I am not sure what my plans will be for next week. I can’t believe it is almost September and probably only one more month to visit farms if it does not rain sometime soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment