How a nonprofit helps young, BIPOC farmers get their start
MARINE ON ST. CROIX, Minn. — Farming is one of the oldest professions in Minnesota with generations of families embedded in the land.
But that can make it hard for newcomers, especially immigrant farmers, to set roots of their own. WCCO had the chance to visit a unique plot northeast of the Twin Cities where people grow their farming dreams like a seed to harvest.
"Ground cherries, tomatoes, peppers, snap peas, corn, squashes," Dee Thao rattled off. Variety fills her field affectionately named "Mom's Garden." The two-acre plot of land is an ode to Zoua Lee, her mom, who has passed down a passion of farming to Thao. Both regularly work in the fields together.
"I've basically farmed all my life because she has farmed all her life as well, since she was a little girl in Laos," said Thao.
They typically farmed on smaller plots scattered across the Twin Cities, growing food for their family, and sharing the rest.
"There's always just a surplus of produce and so that's why we decided to bring it commercial to share it with our community as well," she said.
Mom's Farm is located on Big River Farms, 60 acres of land tucked into the woods in Washington County.
The program, put on by the nonprofit The Food Group, teaches the basics of organic farming while giving students access to land, equipment, and knowledge they might not be able to find, let alone afford. All of those starting costs can set a new farmer back $3,000-4,000 according to Kazoua Berry, the director Big River Farms.
"We have farmers who range from never growing food before to like they may have house plants, or they might dream of growing food," she said. "They go might to the market and they're like, 'I want to know how that's grown'."
Big River Farms starts with a three-year grower training program. Prospective farmers get 1/8 of an acre of land, access to classes, and all the infrastructure, tools and machinery needed to run their farm. The starting cost is $350 per year.
Once grower training is complete, they can apply for the incubator program. Basically, growers start running their own farming business from Big River Farms.
"We want them to feel successful, supported, and make them feel like they can be independent in that because when you feel like you can be independent and autonomous, there's dignity in that," said Berry.
Regardless of how far along growers are in the programs, all can make money from their crops.
Many of them sell at farmers markets or to food shelves, like the Wellstone Center Food Market at the Neighborhood House in St. Paul.
"The bulk of our foods, I'd say 90% comes from two different food banks, one of which is The Good Group," said Kassie Kienbaum, the director of food support programs at the Neighborhood House. "And I will say, the produce we get from (The Food Group) is unparalleled to some of the other produce we get."
While the quality of the produce is appreciated, so too is knowing who is growing it.
"The importance of local, sustainable, organic produce is really important to us. I know at Big River Farms, they invest in BIPOC farmers, emerging farmers, and it's really a community supporting community," added Kienbaum,.
Immigrants, BIPOC, women, and others under-represented in the farming community are the people that Big River Farms tries to help with its programs. Mhonpaj Lee's family was one of the originals at Big River Farms.
They spent 14 years on the property, setting roots beyond their crops. Her father built the fencing that surrounds the 60 acres of farmland.
Today, she and her mother run Mhonpaj's Garden, the first Hmong-owned certified organic farm in the state.
They grow over 70 varieties of produce, selling at farmers markets, to food shelves, and beyond. They specialize in Hmong herbs, much of which are sold to hospitals to help with diets for women after giving birth.
Her thriving business was nurtured from just an idea at Big River Farms.
"The program was definitely a steppingstone for us, and I think that you had to take that jump," said Lee. If there was not Big River Farms, I don't think that there's really another opportunity."
Not all success stories will look like Lee's. Berry said some growers simply want to feed their families, make some cash on the side, and connect with the land.
A chance to grow their dream however they want. "The farmers that we work with are some of the most resilient people," said Berry.
Big River Farms will soon accept applications for the 2025 grower training program. Click here to learn more information or apply.