Springtime in the Central Valley means it’s busy season for Kevin Yang and other local strawberry farmers. The fields at Sunshine’s Farm fill with families eager to pick the juiciest strawberries, enjoy food trucks, and just relax in the sunshine during the goldilocks season before it gets too hot.
Yang’s family is among dozens of Hmong and Mien families who grow strawberries and other produce for the community, with many opening up their small stands to serve customers face to face. Why buy your berries in a plastic clamshell when you can get fruit fresh from the field and make a day of it?
At Sunshine’s Farm at the edge of southeast Fresno, “You come and take the bucket, jump into the field, pick and certify the fruit yourself,” says Yang. “They will last up to seven days in the refrigerator and not turn any colors.”
Nearly 90% of strawberries grown in the United States come from California, according to the Fresno/Clovis Convention & Visitors Bureau. Fruit destined to be shipped to retailers mainly comes from farms along the coast that are larger, making it hard to control flavor, and requiring refrigeration soon after being picked, Yang says.
“They pick it, label it for the trucks, then they ship them straight into coolers,” Yang says, adding that the flavor doesn’t compare to those from small-scale farms. “Those fruits are big, but they contain more water.”
And more water = less flavor. In Fresno County, a good number of strawberry growers are part of the Hmong and Mien community, including families who came to the U.S. as refugees and were drawn to California because of agriculture, and a climate where they could put to use farming practices developed in Southeast Asia.
Yang was the first of his family to arrive in the United States, after living in the Ban Vinai Refugee camp in Thailand. He initially settled in Utah and worked as a specialized registered nurse. He soon realized his passion was not in healthcare and decided to return to school. He moved to California and studied agriculture at UC Davis for four years.
Yang initially planned to move to Pennsylvania after graduating, where there was high demand for farmers. Then, just as he was about to leave California, he made a stop in Fresno, where he found a powerful sense of family among the Hmong farming community.
“I felt the Fresno community is stronger, and they keep close to each other,” he said. “They’re taking care of each other. That’s why they’re here.”
Yang soon established roots in Fresno, along with his own farming business.
With thousands of visitors each year, Yang’s Sunshine’s Farm now stands as a pillar of a springtime tradition, by which local school children, families and friends can collect memories along with their fresh fruit. It’s not just local produce, it’s a scene – a vibrant market filled with local food and crafts vendors every Saturday.
While California grows strawberries year-round, growers divide their work among two seasons – a low-season crop grown between July and mid-September, and a high-season crop planted mid-September and harvested in the spring.
Yang’s 20-acre farm has two sections, one for each season. Each crop uses different fertilizers, creating different tastes. High-season strawberries, according to Yang, have a sweeter flavor. Fruits grown in the winter are prone to absorb humidity.
“Every farm grows different types of strawberries,” said Yang, who grows the Albion variety. “These strawberries are softer, last longer and are sweeter and juicier.”
Did we miss any of your favorite southeast Asian strawberry stands in Fresno County? Send your feedback to vince@fresnoland.org.
