Let’s Grow Farms

Thanh Bidwell, Mistee Uyehara, and their 2-year old daughter Mai, are the trio that make up Let’s Grow Farms. Before he became a farmer, Thanh was a café owner and big supporter of local farmers. Like Thanh, Mistee, who also works at Juicy Brew (a café and a huge supporter of local farms), has the experience of being on the other end of the food production line. Mai, on the other hand, has no professional experience because she is just a toddler.  She can, however, distinguish between sweet potato greens, watercress, and weeds, which is more than I can say for some people years beyond her age.

This valuable insight to knowing what consumers or buyers appreciate from local farmers really shows in the freshness, high quality, and clean presentation of each of their offerings. Be it beautifully bagged baby watercress or firmly bunched sweet potato greens, Let’s Grow Farms has product integrity that we value and appreciate.

Using sustainable and regenerative practices, Let’s Grow Farms grows banana, ʻulu, kalo, lilikoi, guava, and ong choy at their Punaluʻu Valley farm. Last year, right before the pandemic, the family began restoring a 1.3-acre watercress farm in Pearl City.

“We cleared a lot of weeds and mud, and got the water flowing again,” Thanh said. “About ¾ of the farm is finally cleared.” At their Pearl City farm where they also live, they now grow gorgeous watercress and sweet potato, along with other vegetables.

While some of us struggle at managing two different Instagram accounts, Mistee, who is also a talented artist, finds it challenging to find the balance to create art, cook delicious food at the cafe, grow food, and also grow a baby. Slowly but surely, Mistee is finding a way by collaborating with her protégé Mai with art projects involving their farm produce and art.

Mistee, a farmer and an artist, has been enjoying her and Mai’s first farm-inspired collaboration. Mai creates the paint blot with precision and mom finishes the line drawings. 

She said that the pandemic has really forced her to spend more time on the farm and she continues to be grateful for their 3-person farm production. When asked which is more challenging, growing a baby or a farm, Mistee said, “that’s a tough call.”

Here’s an easy call—shop our marketplace for Let’s Grow Farms watercress, baby watercress, and sweet potato greens. Peruse our collection now for the freshest inventory of local produce, meat, dairy, and snacks for Thursday and Friday deliveries.