This past month, we trained 9 HAFA members in beekeeping. They went through two trainings, painted their hives and then I worked with all the members to start their hives. Their dedication and devotion to learning how to keep bees on the farm has been an exciting surprise! Last year I went through extensive training with the […]
Hmong Tab Laj Farm: Two (and more) are better than one
In the mid-2000s, two school-aged children, a newborn baby, a fulltime job, lack of rest and farming on land an hour away from home pushed HAFA member, Song Moua, to the verge of ending her family farm business. Song struggled to find a sense of balance with her family responsibilities and the farm business until […]
We must be like a bird
Naton Vang was only eight years old when he started walking alone in the tropical forest of Laos. When it thunderstormed and the raindrops collected on his white collared shirt, the only thing that kept his clothes dry was a shriveled plastic bag held high above his head. His feet would get wet because the only […]
We can do it right here
This fall, Mai Houa joined the HAFA staff as a packing assistant. She helps the Hmong farmers in HAFA’s Food Hub pack their produce and sell them to schools, retailers, wholesalers and other institutions. She never thought that she would be a farmer, but two years ago, she began helping her husband and in-laws grow […]
We are dedicated to advancing the prosperity of Hmong farmers through cooperative endeavors, capacity building and advocacy. HAFA was started and is led by family farmers. Organizing is in our DNA.