Meet Farmers Luj & Weng Seng Kue
Luj and Weng Seng Kue started farming long before they arrived in the U.S. from Thailand in 2004. They've been growing vegetables for over a decade here in Minnesota, and joined HAFA two years ago because of the opportunity to access affordable farmland with supportive services and a long term lease. Now, Luj and Weng Seng enjoy the company of their fellow HAFA farmers, and, with the help of HAFA's Alternative Markets Program, they are selling more vegetables than ever!
Not surprisingly, Luj reports that the hardest part of their transition to Minnesota farming is the long, cold winters. They also worry that climate change will affect their productivity by bringing heavier spring and summer rains like we saw this past year.
Nevertheless, Weng Seng and Luj are bringing in bumper harvests of their favorite crops: Thai eggplant, bitter berries, lemongrass, and Thai chilis.
Like many HAFA farmers, Weng Seng and Luj spend six or seven days each week selling their produce at area farmers markets. If you have a hankering for specialty eggplants and spicy peppers, track them down at the Minneapolis Farmers Market Mondays through Thursdays, and at the Sun Foods market on University Ave. in St. Paul every weekend.
