History
Deep Roots
Hogsback Farm reflects the rich history and culture of Vashon Island. The farm's previous owner, Tokio "Tok" Otsuka, was born in 1923 on Vashon. His family was one of several Japanese-American island families who grew strawberries--a thriving commodity from the 1950s-70s; several tons of berries were produced annually. During WWII, Tok and his family were sent to internment camps in California and Wyoming. He volunteered to serve in the famed 442nd Regiment Combat Team, composed entirely of soldiers of Japanese ancestry. In 1947, Tok returned to Vashon to what is now Hogsback Farm. He built the pickers' shacks (now used by farm interns) for the migrant farm workers who assisted with the annual harvest. During his tenure here, Tok grew strawberries and sweet corn.
Hogsback Begins
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Seattleites Amy and Joseph Bogaard purchased the farm from Tok in 1996 with a plan to begin a sustainable farm. During the first five years, they lived in one of the pickers' shacks and did much of the work by hand or with a small tiller. They slowly added farm infrastructure using reclaimed materials. Farm revenue comes from the self-serve, self-pay farm stand, CSA subscriptions and restaurant sales. Farm staff have managed a successful CSA for 15 years, and Hogsback has been a vendor at the Vashon Farmers Market.
