Tchieng Fong, a member of the Hmong ethnic group, came to the United States in 1988 from Laos as a Vietnam War refugee. He farms specialty crops on 20 acres at two Fresno County sites growing a variety of Asian vegetables – such as gailon, bittermelon, sinqua, moqua, lemongrass, sugarcane, mustards, water spinach, yam leaves, snow peas and bok choy – and American mainstream crops – such as blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, artichokes, asparagus and broccoli.

Fong was nominated for the “outstanding farmer” award by Richard Molinar, the UC Cooperative Extension small farm advisor in Fresno County.

“Tchieng is a progressive Hmong farmer,” Molinar said. “He isn’t just sticking with traditional Southeast Asian crops. He’s diversified his crops to cater to the tastes of a diversity of customers.”

Fong sells his produce at two farmers markets, three Fresno packing houses and to several Hmong markets. At his popular roadside stand adjoining the farm – on Fowler Avenue north of Olive Avenue in Fresno – customers line up to purchase his blackberries and blueberries each spring. Fong is now looking into direct marketing his produce to San Francisco restaurants.

Molinar said Fong has shown a keen interest in improving his production practices by attending farmer education courses offered by UC Cooperative Extension and consulting frequently with Molinar. In addition, Fong has been open to sharing his knowledge with others. He speaks to newspaper reporters and opens his farm for tours on a regular basis.

The “outstanding educator” award went to Gaskell, a small farm advisor for UC Cooperative Extension in Santa Barbara County for 12 years. He is a leader in the development of cropping opportunities for small-scale growers on California’s Central Coast, according to nominators Molinar and Benny Fouche, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor for San Joaquin County.

“Mark is truly an exceptional small-farm educator,” they wrote in the nomination. “His research and educational meetings are focused on California small farm issues and he is always willing to share his information at meetings throughout the state.”

Gaskell is undertaking a long-term study of slow-growing lychee and longan trees. The fruit, popular among Asian consumers, is sometimes imported from the Far East illegally, potentially carrying unwanted pests. Local production will reduce the threat and provide California farmers a new farming opportunity. A major part of Gaskell’s work has been in developing the berry industry at the Central Coast and particularly working with growers to find fruit that will fit precisely in a lucrative market window. With blueberries and blackberries becoming well-established crops on the Central Coast, Gaskell is beginning research on gooseberries, and red and black currants.

The Pedro Ilic Agriculture Awards were presented March 5 at the California Farm Conference in Monterey. The awards are named for the Fresno County small-scale farm advisor whose untimely death in 1994 prompted the UC Small Farm Program to annually honor those who carry out his legacy of personal commitment to small-scale and family farming.