<Begin Segment 7>

MA: And you mentioned during this time you also helped out on the farm.

KI: Oh, yes.

MA: So what was a typical day like for you?

KI: Well, when, when we had the truck farm, I wasn't old enough to do much. But then whenever they told us to go and pick so many crates of raspberry, we used to go out and pick it and bring it in. And I remember going out and digging, pulling up the carrots, bringing it home, and my mother would wash them. Did all kind of work. I was a better worker than anything else because I had an older sister, and she did all the house, cooking and washing and cleaning, so she wasn't a very good field laborer like I was. Which was all right with me, you know, I liked to be outside anyway.

MA: So did you usually work after school and before school?

KI: Oh, after school, before school, after school, all summer vacation, yes. And I remember when the berries, what they call sakari, the peak, my father would just say, "Well, gee, you guys are gonna have to stay home a couple of days this week because we can't catch up," you know, don't have enough workers, they can't catch up. So then we'd have to, then we'd be behind in our school. [Laughs] I used to hate that part, but then, you know, it was something we had to do.

MA: And did your father ever hire other workers to help out?

KI: Yes. In fact, I remember that we had a Filipino that used to usually come and work with us pretty steady, and we got to know him well, and my father talked him into staying all year. There's always a little bit of work. And I remember he lived with us for several years, yeah.

MA: And he was from the Philippines?

KI: Uh-huh, yeah.

MA: That's interesting. What religion did your family practice?

KI: Buddhist. From the very first, Buddhist.

MA: Did you go to Sunday school?

KI: Yes, from when I was small. In fact, I have to tell you that my father used to always give us money, and I didn't know you were supposed to bring it for saisen. I figured it was payment for being good or going to Sunday school, so we'd stop at this candy store that was right next door, you know. [Laughs]

<End Segment 7> - Copyright ©2008 Densho and the Watsonville - Santa Cruz JACL. All Rights Reserved.