Agriculture

Many Issei (first-generation Japanese immigrants) began as sharecroppers. Others sought to buy land, but the Issei had to overcome obstacles preventing them from competing with white farmers. California and other states passed alien land laws prohibiting Asian immigrants from purchasing or leasing agricultural land. There were ways around the discriminatory laws: an Issei father could put the property in the name of his American-born child, or issei could form corporations in which a majority of the shareholders were American citizens. Despite the alien land laws, Issei farmers played a significant role in West Coast agriculture. In the years just prior to World War II, Japanese American families grew 35 percent of the produce in California. By the 1920s, Japanese Americans supplied 75 percent of the produce and half the milk to the Puget Sound region.

Industry and employment (481)
Agriculture (769)

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img "Nikkei farm family scene" (ddr-densho-259-133)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "A Nikkei farm family scene, taken at one of the early Yasui farms in Summit, which is slightly north and a little west of Odell, Oregon. The farm 'family' was mostly the young Masuo and Shidzuyo Yasuis Sitting back left is, I believe, Yoshizaemon Mori...I think that standing in the center is …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-133/

img Japanese family visiting a farm (ddr-densho-259-261)

Unidentified visitors to the Yasui family's farm in Willow Flat, Oregon.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-261/

img "Issei women hoeing strawberries" (ddr-densho-259-274)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Two Issei women hoeing strawberries This picture is interesting because it shows them wearing long dresses with long sleeves, and large straw hats. This kind of attire for farm work wasn't the functional and comfortable clothing that the Issei farm women used to wear in our day. Also it shows very well …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-274/

img Strawberry fields (ddr-densho-259-80)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "This is a very large acreage of strawberries on our Willow Flat farm At one time or another, almost all of the land on the 'home 60' (sixty acres) had been planted in strawberries, but of course not at the same time."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-80/

img White brother and sister picking strawberries (ddr-densho-259-249)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "This was 'Peggy' Smith on the left, and her brother Chandler Smith on the right, and they were picking strawberries on our Willow Flat farm."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-249/

img Two men in an apple orchard (ddr-densho-259-257)

Two unidentified Japanese American men in an apple orchard, possibly in Willow Flat, Oregon. The man on the left is probably Masuo Yasui.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-257/

img "Group of Japanese apple pickers" (ddr-densho-259-356)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "A group of Japanese apple pickers The standing white man in the checkered jacket was said to have been Ted Pooley, but I don't know who the other one was. The Pooleys have been associated with the growing, packing and shipping of Hood River fruit from as far back as the early …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-356/

img Japanese visitors at a fruit packing house (ddr-densho-259-255)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "[Masuo Yasui] and a group of 3 Japanese visitors and a young Japanese girl [Masuo] was showing the visitors what our fruit sorting conveyor belt looked like in the packing house at Willow Flat."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-255/

img Aerial photograph of Mosier Lake, Oregon (ddr-densho-259-361)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "'Mosier Lake', which was on our farm property in Mosier [Oregon]."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-361/

img "Group of Japanese strawberry pickers" (ddr-densho-259-355)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "A group of Japanese strawberry pickers with one man, possibly the foreman or the 'strawboss', standing center left. Because the silhouettes of the mountains in the background look exactly like Baldy Mountain and Fir Top, this photograph had to have been taken in the Hood River Valley, and very probably from either …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-355/

img Man on tree stump surveying timberland (ddr-densho-259-245)

Caption by Yuka Yasui: "Family friend surveying timberland with Mt. Hood in the background."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-245/

img Issei laborers eating apples on a farm (ddr-densho-259-353)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "A group of Japanese laborers having at least a refreshment break in front of a couple of wooden sheds The men appear to be eating apples."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-353/

img Two men in an apple orchard (ddr-densho-259-260)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "[Masuo Yasui] and a young Japanese man wearing a striped suit and holding an apple in each hand. I don't know who this man was."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-260/

img "Women packing strawberries" (ddr-densho-259-346)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Women packing strawberries Since the crew of packers are entirely Caucasian, if it was taken in Hood River, it almost surely was taken in some Caucasian farmer's packing house."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-346/

img Board of Directors of the Apple Growers Association (ddr-densho-259-29)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "I don't recognize any of the 14 Caucasian men in this group picture with [Masuo Yasui], but I suspect that they were the Board of Directors of the Apple Growers Association."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-29/

img Workers picking strawberries (ddr-densho-259-253)

Workers picking strawberries, possibly on the Yasui family farm in Willow Flat, Oregon.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-253/

img Farmhouse in Japan (ddr-densho-259-542)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "A substantial farm house in Japan It must have been the home of a rich farmer."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-542/

img Packing house in Mosier, Oregon (ddr-densho-259-345)

Caption by Homer Yasui: "Cement block packing house and storage shed, Mosier, Oregon."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-259-345/

img Children on a farm (ddr-densho-28-9)

The Suguro farm was located in the Midlakes area of Bellevue, Washington. Front (left to right): Sumie and Toshi Suguro. Back: Mae Suguro, Eva Aramaki, and Mitsue Suguro.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-28-9/

img Japanese farm in the mountains (ddr-densho-299-62)

Caption on reverse: "WPA-46-69189. 25 Nov 46 / Japanese Farm: / This Japanese farm in the mountain range / of Yamanashi Prefecture is a good example / of the clean, well kept, and fully culti- / vated fields of the Japanese farm. / Photographer - Wheeler / Photograph by U.S. Army"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-299-62/

img A farmer hoeing a field to plant rice (ddr-densho-299-8)

Caption on reverse: "FEC-47-77281. 14 July 47 / Rice planted in Japan: / A rice paddy near Mount Fuji, Japan, / is prepared for planting by hoeing / unplowed portions of the field by / hand. This field, flooded to a / depth of eight inches, will do its / part in alleviated Japan's serious / …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-299-8/

img Farmers learning about the land reform laws (ddr-densho-299-194)

Caption: "Farmers at a meeting where they learn about the land reform laws which were enacted for / their benefit."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-299-194/

img Japanese farmer with his ox working in the fields (ddr-densho-299-177)

Caption: "Oxen are ideal for work in the muddy fields."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-299-177/

img Farming in bombed out areas (ddr-densho-299-12)

Caption on reverse: "FEC-49-1871. 18 March 49 / NRS Project: / Utilization of every available plot / of ground - use of the soil between / the foundations of bombed out areas / for growing foodstuffs. Tokyo. / Photographer - Dunn / Photograph by U.S. Army."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-299-12/

img Farmers planting rice (ddr-densho-299-9)

Caption on reverse: "FEC-47-77282. 14 July 47 / Rice planting in Japan: / Japanese farmers force shoots / of rice into sodden earth of / a paddy located near Mount Fuji, / Japan. This extra-large rice / paddy is part of a ceaseless / battle against starvation in Japan. / Photographer - Kaye / Photograph by …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-299-9/