Kao Lee Cha runs the appropriately named Kao Lee’s Gardens, offering beautiful flower bouquets and fresh vegetables grown locally on her two-acre plot in Carnation. Everyone in Kao Lee’s family farms, and she followed suit using organic farming methods. Throughout the season, Kao Lee will bring summer squash, zucchini, green beans, spinach, basil, cilantro, dill, peas, beets, carrots, kale, radishes, and kohlrabi, among other produce options. Like her vegetables, her flower varieties vary at different times of the season. Spring will bring iris and sweet peas, then in the heat of summer, you’ll run into dahlias, sunflowers, and lilies.
Kao Lee has been selling at the Carnation Farmers Market since it began in 2003. Kao Lee enjoys Tuesday afternoons as she loves getting to arrange her flowers into colorful bouquets outdoors, talking to the other farmers and food artisans at the market, and chatting with customers. Selling at markets is Kao Lee’s favorite part of her job, and she also likes the ability to work at her own pace. Stop by Kao Lee’s tent on your way home on Tuesday to pick up a bouquet and bring some market happiness home with you for the week.