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Health & Fitness

Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood?

Getting to know the folks that bring us our vegetables- a visit to the farmer's market.

Oh who are the people in your neighborhood?

In your neighborhood?

In your neighborhood?

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Say who are the people in your neighborhood?

The people that you meet each day

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—Lyrics by Sesame Street

I recently took the boys to the farmer’s market at City Walk in Woodbury, which is part of the St. Paul Farmer’s Market group. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the number of vendors as well as the variety of goods being offered has grown over the last year.  I’m hopeful that this is a positive indicator that more people are supporting local small businesses.

One such business is the Vang Vegetable Stand. Ka Vang and his wife are joint owners and were kind enough to share a few moments of their time with me.  

Ka’s Story:

In 1998, Ka was granted refugee status from the US and left the Laos refugee camps to settle in Minnesota.  He is married with six children and resides in St. Paul.  Ka and his wife operate two farms in Vermillion, MN and Roberts, WI.  The Vang’s have been in the business for five years and have produce stands at three markets and at the Sun Foods supermarket.  

When asked if this business was good enough to earn a decent living Ka explained to me that farming is actually a hobby and that he works 11-7 as a correction’s officer for Ramsey County. Ka and his wife plant, pick, wash and sell the vegetables around his full-time job schedule.  

Surprised to hear that farming was a hobby, Ka explained that his wife hails from a traditional Hmong farming family, but his family were not farmers. He went on to explain that, “it’s her heritage” and she had begun to yearn to farm, again. Ka did not want to do it, but obliged his wife. Soon, he found he enjoyed getting back to nature and working with his hands and they have been growing ever since.  

The Vang’s grow in a very natural fashion. They only grow outdoors and do not use shelters, grow houses or even sprinkler systems. They grow vegetables typical of this area including green beans, snow peas, four varieties of onions, numerous varieties of carrots, beets and radishes, tomatoes and potatoes.  

Ka explained that he caters to the shoppers by deciding which vegetables to grow and sell.  

“The diverse population of Asians and Africans in the St. Paul and Minneapolis areas [tend to] eat a lot more exotic vegetables, so I bring those to the other markets, but not here to Woodbury,” said Vang.

Vegetables purchased from Vang are very fresh- less than two hours from the ground to the start of the Woodbury Farmer’s Market. Furthermore, they are presented to you, the buyer with a lot of enthusiasm and love.

Ka remarked that he is so surprised how few people use their mind and body when it comes to growing their own food.  “I see so many people have a yard and they don’t plant a seed; they don’t know what it is to care for a vegetable plant.  Like a baby, vegetables must be nurtured and cared for. Some vegetables are easy and some more challenging,” said Vang.

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