The family watercress farm adjacent to the Pearlridge Center has thrived during the pandemic, says its fourth-generation chef.
In 2018, Emi Suzuki and her husband set a nine-year timeline to slowly take over Sumida Farms. But when farm manager Suzuki’s aunt Barbara Sumida was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2020, Suzuki immediately took matters into her own hands.
“There was a very real possibility that the farm would not continue in any form unless someone stepped in to help run it. So, we raised our hands,” says Suzuki, the fourth-generation chef of the watercress farm next to Pearlridge Center in ‘Aiea.
The farm was started in 1928 by Makiyo and Moriichi Sumida, who leased 5 acres of land in Kalauao Springs from what was then Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate.
“I stand on the shoulders of the previous three generations who worked so hard and sacrificed so much,” says Suzuki.
“It’s the history of the farm and the reputation that previous generations have established and the integrity with which they’ve run this business…it’s a huge part of what has gotten us through (the pandemic ).”
The pandemic has not slowed production.
“We have the best employees in the world,” says Suzuki. “Our field workers showed up: rain, heat, pandemic, closures. Anyway, they showed up.
She says the farm has been able to increase wages and benefits for workers, invest in infrastructure and even hire more people. And she says she hopes to continue to grow the business, perhaps even beyond farming.
“We have ideas on how to expand the vision… (and) continue to nurture the community” while continuing “to provide a living wage for our workers,” she says.
