Meet Our Farmers: Tian Tian Farms
Image from @tiantian.farm on Instagram
Something that makes farmers markets so exciting is the chance to find some new fruits and vegetables that you may have never seen before. Steven Hsieh and Elizabeth Whitman of Tian Tian Farm are excited to be able to share vegetables that may be new to some, and give a taste of home to others.
“One of the things I like about our farm is that some of the things we’re bringing to market are new. You might know 90% but there’s still that 10% that you don’t. You might find a new favorite,” Farmer Steven explained.
Elizabeth and Steven have been farming together on their half acre on Vashon Island since February. They grow Asian heritage vegetables like bok choy, a choy, as well as whole root crops like turnip, daikon, and salad and stir-fry mixes. They also sell herbs like shiso and Thai basil.
They run a low-till farm and are transitioning to no till. They lease the land that they farm on, and have worked to re-use materials that were already on the land. Two out of the three hoop houses that they use are made entirely from reused materials. Tian Tian Farm also follows organic growing practices.
Tian Tian means every day, or daily in Chinese. It represents the way Elizabeth and Steven take things one day at a time and have a steady pace with their farming. They wanted the name to be Chinese because Steven is Taiwanese-American and Elizabeth is Chinese-American, and they grow Asian heritage vegetables to connect with their roots.
Elizabeth and Steven want their produce to be for everyone, whether they have grown up eating the veggies or whether they are novel. Elizabeth said that she was excited to be able to speak with customers in Chinese at the Columbia City Farmers Market, which they started selling at in the beginning of August.
They also enjoy chatting with their customers about new ways to use vegetables that are familiar to them. From putting chrysanthemum greens in ssambap (Korean lettuce wraps), to using fresh cilantro root in curries, Tian Tian’s customers are full of creative ideas for using their produce.
You can find Elizabeth and Steven at the Columbia City Farmers Market on Wednesdays from 3-7pm. Check out their website or Instagram for more information about the farm. They were also recently featured in an article in the Seattle Times.