My grandparents married in 1937, moved to the mountains of Dan Shui, Taiwan, and began cultivating orange orchards. The orange groves provided the winter harvests, and in the spring and summer, they raised farm animals and grew vegetables.
They had eight kids, and each one had a hand in keeping the family farm going. Even with their chores, they still made time for school. The older siblings were responsible for the younger children and everyone pitched in. My mom took on the role of main caretaker for the younger siblings while the older ones went off to work.
In the 1970s, my parents migrated to the U.S. and founded a wholesale produce business in 1987. They partnered directly with local farmers, as well as regional and national producers, to grow specialty Asian vegetables. During the 1980s, there were only a few varieties of Asian produce. Thirty years later, there are hundreds of varieties available.
We built a Grow Lab in a co-working space to start testing our vision. Mom is gleefully enjoying the harvest in the indoor farm, a stark contrast to years of walking the fields in the hot summer sun with her growers. This new chapter is both exciting and refreshing for her.
We took a bold step forward and established our first commercial indoor vertical farm in Queens, New York. This venture isn't just about expanding our business— it's about reimagining how we grow food for the future. The farm represents a fusion of tradition and innovation.
