Densho Digital Archive - Tom I. Mine Interview (denshovh-mtom

<Begin Segment 11>

TI: So now I'm going to move into more the war years. And on... well, actually before we got there, I want to talk a little bit more about your dad's business. So you mentioned your dad got into berry farming when you were, like in high school, is that when he was doing that?

TM: Yeah. Well, before... no, when I went in high school, I've already started row crop farming.

TI: So that's the lettuce, the lettuce farm?

TM: Lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli and things like that. I got out of the berry business because I didn't care for that type of work.

TI: And so when you say you, did, was that your dad or was that you that you were...

TM: Well, I guess it'd be myself, because I had a younger brother, but he didn't have anything to do with it. And then I had others who were sisters, girls, so they were too young to help on the ranch.

TI: So this is when you were in high school, you...

TM: High school I started...

TI: This farm.

TM: Yeah, started a, you know, getting my foot in to what I wanted to be, or what I wanted to do.

TI: So explain that. How, what was a typical day when you had to go to school, you had the farm, you had sports? I mean, how would you do all of that?

TM: Well, mainly, the main, when I got out of high school, then everything, you know, started to do what I wanted to do. But prior to that, it was still part of the berry business, you had my dad's business. So I gradually assisted.

TI: But were there days when before school you would have to do kind of, farm chores?

TM: Yeah, yeah. Help in the morning a couple hours.

TI: So describe a, like a typical day when it was like that. So how early would you wake up?

TM: Well, we get up crack of the dawn, you know, and get out there a couple hours, and we were already growing lettuce, so helped harvest lettuce.

TI: And what would, what would that be? What kind of work would you do?

TM: Well, it would be to cut lettuce and pack it, put it in the crates, and then you go to school, and then my dad...

TI: And so before you did that, would you eat breakfast? Would your mom have breakfast?

TM: Oh, yeah. Well, we eat heavy breakfast in those days, because it takes a lot of energy out of you, so we ate.

TI: Would you eat breakfast before the farm work or after?

TM: Well, we'd eat the breakfast, get up four o'clock in the morning, eat breakfast and get out there before daylight.

TI: And then you'd come back and change and then to go...

TM: And come back and change and went to school.

TI: And then you would be at school all day.

TM: All day.

TI: And then you would do sports after?

TM: Yeah.

TI: And then you would come home.

TM: Yeah. And then, no, if I'd, out for sport, I'd be, participate in whatever, practice or whatever. That was my life. It was a full, full days' work, full day's, life, I mean, from early morning 'til dark.