Yoeun Yin believes that presentation is an important part of selling at Columbia Farmers Market. All of his produce is well manicured, handsomely bundled, and free of dirt.
“People come by and say, these vegetables are so clean. I want to buy them,” he said, laughing. He laughs, but his marketing strategy is clearly working.
Yoeun has been a farmer all his life. He grew rice and vegetables on a farm near Phnom Penh, Cambodia, until he immigrated to America in 1984. He planted a garden in his Columbia yard, and began selling his produce and plants at Columbia Farmers Market in 2009.
While his full-time job sometimes requires long hours, Yoeun plans to keep up his garden and continue selling produce at the farmers market.
“I like the people,” he said. “I have made a lot of friends at the market.”
He starts his green onions and other spring vegetables in a small greenhouse. He also grows long beans, spinach, onions, rhubarb, and herb plants, including rosemary and basil.
Keep your eyes peeled for Yoeun’s new vegetable varieties and unique offerings throughout the summer markets.
