I'm going to preface this review by sharing that I'm not a huge fan of watercress. At least, I wasn't. After visiting Sumida Farm and tasting different watercress dishes, I can see myself picking up some watercress from the grocery store. For so many years, I've passed the beautiful green area along Kamehameha Highway in front of Pearlridge and next to Starbucks and thought what a breath of fresh air, compared to everything else in the area along Kam Highway. I was very fortunate to be a part of an exclusive tour of Sumida Farm. They do not do this regularly and it is not open to the general public. We got to meet Mr. David Sumida, the 3rd generation owner of the family-owned business graced us with his presence and gave a brief history lesson about their farm. His parents moved from Japan and began growing watercress. Fast forward to today, many developers have offered millions of dollars for the land in hopes of developing it into something else. Bravo to the Sumida Family for standing their ground and hanging onto the precious, watercress-bearing land that has fed Hawaii for years. We got to walk along the watercress field and even dip our feet in the cool water. Being there was so serene, and being down in the field, I almost forgot that we were surrounded by Kam Highway and Pearlridge Center. We were treated to a special lunch by a chef who whipped up recipes that contained watercress and let me tell you, some of the dishes didn't even taste like it contained watercress even if it was one of the main ingredients. The lunch gave us many new ideas on how to incorporate watercress into our meals. I have a whole new appreciation for this vegetable and for the beautiful farm along Kam Highway. read more