History Behind our Hmong Flower Farmers

Walking through the Main Arcade, it’s impossible to miss the fresh aromas and eye-catching displays of the locally grown flower bouquets at Pike Place Market.

Whether it’s peonies in the spring, dahlias in the summer, or kale flowers and colorful dried arrangements in the fall.

When you purchase flowers here, it’s more than likely sold by a Hmong farmer. Over 30 Hmong-owned farm businesses operate here on a weekly basis and are often some of the first ones to arrive each morning.

Integral to the foundation of our community, flower farmers have been a mainstay in the Market for over 30 years. And their history is one of both resilience and courage in the fight for survival.

Vietnam War Impact

The Hmong people draw their roots in part from the largely mountainous Laos. Farming in the highlands and harvesting a number crops, this region remained largely self-sufficient and isolated from other parts of the world.

But as the Vietnam War escalated in the late 1960s, the U.S. military called on Hmong people in this area to support their efforts with their knowledge of the land.

Many were pulled into the conflict as part of the “Secret War” by U.S. forces. The CIA recruited over 30,000 Hmong soldiers to a guerilla unit, tasked with disrupting a key military supply route on the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

Photo from Britannica.com

After U.S. forces withdrew and the Lao government fell to the new communist regime, thousands of Hmong refugees were forced to flee their homes under fear of persecution.

Many, like Xee Yang-Schell’s family of Yang Farm escaped to refugee camps in Thailand to find safety and await resettlement.

They were there for 5 years before a sponsorship brought Xee, her parents, five siblings, aunt, and grandmother to Washington in 1980.

Xee Yang-Schell with her parents Sua and Joua Pao Yang

Empowering New Growth

In response to the wave of Hmong immigrants looking to reestablish themselves, the Pike Place Market PDA worked with King County and Washington State University to create the Indochinese Farm Project in 1982. This initiative helped support Hmong farmers with county-owned land in Woodinville leased at a low cost to lay the foundation to start their own businesses.

Chue Chang of See Lee Garden was one of the first families that got started with the project.

Chue Chang, 1980s

Chue among her dahlia fields in Woodinville, 2024

With an expertise in agriculture, it created a natural path toward establishing farm businesses. They learned to cultivate new crops and how to sell their produce at the Market, building a stable foundation as they adapted to a fresh start. Starting with only six families, the project grew over the years to support more than 80 families.  In later years, they transitioned to learning floriculture and became masters of the craft.

Photo Credit: University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections

Building a Legacy

Today, farm-fresh bouquets are synonymous with the icons that define our Market. Many Hmong-owned farms are now run by the second-generation, as most of them have sold here for over 30 years.

It is a year-round job for the hardworking families behind the table. Every purchase of a bouquet directly supports these small businesses that dedicate themselves to the immense labor and time it takes to produce the world-class bouquets daily. Year after year, they are committed to growing the best local flowers the region has to offer.

Farm-Fresh Holiday Finds

Shop and support your local farms this holiday season and throughout the year by picking up a wreath, festive arrangements, or everlasting dried flower bouquets to share with loved ones and brighten your home. Each piece is original and one-of-a-kind in its own right! Check out a preview of what to look for on the farm tables in the upcoming weeks of holiday shopping below.