Hmong American Farmers Association

Growing community wealth since 2011

Summer CSA Newsletter, Week 7

CSA, Food Hub, HAFA Farmers, Newsletters, Summer / by

Originally published on August 7, 2018
NEWSLETTER:  SUMMER CSA WEEK 7
Mee Hang walking with an armful of dahlias from her flower fields (visible in the distance) to her the tent where she will assemble them into artful bouquets.
 
Dear CSA Members,
 
Greetings from the HAFA Farm and welcome to week seven of your summer share! Can you believe that we are officially in the second half of the summer CSA? Time is really flying and we’re so glad that you’re on this journey with us! Don’t forget to tag @hafafarmers in your Facebook, Instagram or Twitter posts.

This week, HAFA staff filmed a segment for TPT’s “Food for Thought” series. “Food For Thought” is a multimedia TPT project that focuses on childhood nutrition and multicultural, intergenerational food justice work in Minnesota. A special thanks to Susan Thao and her team for joining us on the farm! 

The HAFA Farm also hosted a group of farm-to-school and culinary staff from Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS). This year, they’ve contracted green beans, onions and tri-color carrots from the HAFA Farm. We are so excited for this partnership and MPS’s commitment to providing fresh, locally sourced foods to their students. Thanks for making the trek out on a rainy day to learn about our food hub!

Tonight, Ka Yang, Research Associate, will be participating in a Farm to Table panel hosted by The Coven. Tickets are free with registration. The panel will be discussing, “What factors come into play in getting fresh food from farms to our tables in Minnesota and Wisconsin.” Don’t be shy, join the conversion! We hope to see you there.

As always, we hope you enjoy this week’s box and happy eating!

In solidarity,
The HAFA Family
 
 

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Fall and Thanksgiving CSAs are still available! 
hafa-farmers-veggies-collage
Fall CSA, 7 weeks

September 27 – November 8
Full Share $200
Half Share $125
Flower shares are sold out
 
Thanksgiving Share
Pick-up November 15 and 16
Veggie Share $50

Optional turkey:
Small – $28
Medium – $36
Large – $45
 
Sign Up Now!
 
Volunteering
 

If you are interested in volunteering with HAFA, please contact our volunteer coordinator Kou Yang at kou@hmongfarmers.com to learn about upcoming opportunities.
 

WHAT’S IN YOUR CSA BOX?
This week you can expect the following in your CSA box:
FULL SHARES

Beets – 1 bunch
Bok Choi – 1 bunch
Cauliflower – 1 head
Cherry Tomatoes – 1 pint
Chinese Long Beans – 1 bunch
Cilantro – 1 bunch
Green Garlic – 4 count
Green Onion – 1 bunch
Slicing Cucumbers – 2 count
Sun Jewel Melon – 1 count
Sweet Corn – 8 ears
 
HALF SHARES
Beets – 1 bunch
Bok Choi – 1 bunch
Cherry Tomatoes – 1 pint
Cilantro – 1 bunch
Green Garlic – 2 count
Green Onion – 1 bunch
Slicing Cucumbers – 1 count
Sun Jewel Melon – 1 count
Sweet Corn – 5 ears
A friendly reminder:
Sun Jewel Melon has the crispy flesh of a pear and the mild flavor of a honeydew. This melon is ready to eat and will continue to ripen quickly (within a week from receiving it). If you prefer a firmer flesh, stick it in the refrigerator; and if you prefer a softer flesh, leave it on your counter top. As it ripens, the skin of the melon will turn a deep golden color. Unlike other melons, the skin of the Sun Jewel is edible, so you simply need to cut the melon in half, scoop out the seeds, slice and enjoy!
 

RECIPE
 
Pantzaria Salata: Cold Beet and Garlic Salad (Serves 4)
from The Spruce Eats
INGREDIENTS
  • 2 pounds fresh red beets (or 2 cans of sliced beets (discard liquid))
  • 2  to 3 cloves garlic (minced) – substitute green garlic
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • Dash sea salt (or to taste)
  • Dash pepper (freshly ground, to taste)
DIRECTIONS
  1. Remove leaves, leaving about an inch of stem, and don’t cut the taproot. Wash gently, being careful not to break the skin, and place in a pot of cold water to cover.
  2. Bring to a boil and cook until firm but cooked, about 40 to 50 minutes. Drain the beets, cool under running cold water, and remove skin with fingers. Slice.
  3. Combine beets, garlic, oil, and vinegar in a bowl and toss. Add salt and pepper to taste, and refrigerate covered for several hours before serving.
 

STAFF PROFILE: TOUCHAO YANG
 

Touchao Yang was specifically looking to work with the Hmong community, when he joined the HAFA team. Born and raised in Laos, he and his family moved to the United States when he was 13 years old. Yang is now a senior at St. Cloud State University studying Information Systems, but he holds onto his cultural roots.

“I like to help people, especially the Hmong community,” says Yang. He says this passion stems from witnessing, firsthand, the obstacles that his parents faced moving to the U.S. The language barrier in particular was challenging for his family to navigate in the first year. “I want to use [their experience] to inspire myself to get out there and help others.”

At HAFA, Yang is doing just that as the Project Assistant. Working with Rebecca Yoshino, HAFA’s GAP/Procurement Specialist, Yang spends most of his time in the fields speaking with farmers and interpreting as needed. In this role, he’s been able to cultivate deeper relationships with the farmers using his “own language.” To Yang, being able to speak Hmong in a professional setting is a unique experience that he cherishes.

In his spare time, Yang enjoys playing badminton and soccer. He’s played competitive soccer since high school and competed at the 38th Annual Hmong Freedom Festival this past June/July. (Also known as “J4” or “The Soccer Tournament,” this festival is one of the largest Hmong cultural celebrations in the nation). One of his favorite things to eat is cucumber prepared in the same style as papaya salad. “I could eat it everyday,” he says. Lucky for him, cucumbers are aplenty on the HAFA Farm.

Yang will be leaving HAFA at the end of this week to pursue his studies. But his time spent at the farm has been fruitful. “I’ve learned a lot from the farmers and HAFA,” says Yang. “The way they’ve appreciated my work has helped me grow as a person.”

Best of luck, Touchao! You will be missed. Ua koj tsaug.