Since 2022, the Washington Hmong Farmers Cooperative has played a critical role in supporting local farmers’ businesses: picking up and delivering orders, offering spaces to sort and wash bouquets, and connecting farmers to markets. Three years into this work, the coop has continued to grow by forging relationships with community partners, bringing more business opportunities to local farmers.
While the vibrant tulips, daffodils, peonies, sunflowers, and other Hmong farmer-grown flowers are an iconic and colorful part of attraction in the state, Hmong farmers face mounting economic pressures from lack of land ownership, unpredictable land lease agreements that harm long-term investment planning, and high costs of tech and infrastructure.
“The farming business is uncertain, you never know what’s going to happen next year,” said farmer and WHFC general manager Bryant Her.
In response to these challenges, the Coop started thinking of ways to increase market access that are not limited to direct-to-consumer sales at farmers markets, corner stores, and gas stations.
With many older Hmong farmers finding it more difficult to travel to sell their flowers, the time was ripe for expanded partnerships that ensure accessibility to different markets. The Coop began selling flowers last summer at five PCC locations and efforts are ongoing to expand and sell at more grocery stores in the region.
Customers can buy flower bouquets grown and assembled by WHFC members at nine Whole Foods locations, 15 PCC locations, and five Kitchen & Market locations beginning this May.
“Now they can diversify their revenues and sources of sales. By being able to wholesale their flowers, it creates new markets for them and a source of relief,” said WHFC Marketing and Sales Consultant Koua Franz.
Three years into their collective organizing, the Coop has made partnerships with groups such as the Northwest Agricultural Business Center that provides technical support for farmers to learn how to apply for grants, access capital, and create business plans. These partnerships are intended to support Hmong farmers who grow produce, too.
“My vision is improving land access and creating a stronger foundation for the community to lean on and rely on for advocacy and resources at a lower cost,” Her said.
Things are truly blossoming for the WHFC and there is still much work to do in terms of scaling up the capacity of the organization. With these expanded partnerships, the Coop hopes to mitigate some of these challenges and meet more farmers’ needs in an increasingly precarious landscape.
Consider checking out a nearby PCC, Whole Foods, or Kitchen & Market to buy flowers or visit the WHFC Storefront to order fresh flowers and produce directly.
For every stunning bouquet that is bought or received as a gift, know that there are entire networks of farmers, families, and community organizers working together to improve the material conditions of Hmong farmers that have been growing flowers in the region for over 40 years.
And as your eyes take in the vibrant colors, pause for a minute to think about all that that played a part in you having access to them. Think about the farmers that grew and harvested them, the generations of wisdom informing their techniques, and what you can do to support their livelihoods.
See list below for store locations where you can find WHFC bouquets. Click store name to expand list to see specific locations.
PCC Market
- View Ridge
- Greenlake
- Issaquah
- Fremont
- Redmond
- Edmonds
- Greenlake Village
- Columbia City
- Bothell
- Burien
- Ballard
- West Seattle
- Bellevue
- Kirkland
- Central District
Whole Foods Market
- Bellevue
- Interbay
- Kirkland
- Lynwood
- Madison Broadway
- Redmond
- Roosevelt
- West Seattle
- Westlake
Kitchen & Market
- Pike Place
- Madison Valley
- Medina
- Yarrow Bay
- Eastlake
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