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JS: Could you please compare and contrast how your father started in farming in California, and how other Japanese farmers began their businesses?

ES: Well, my dad wanted to start farming, so he came to San Jose, and whether he was on sharecrop basis or lease basis, I don't know. But anyway, he started on North First Street where the California Waterworks exists today. And he started a little farm, then he discovered that he needed a horse and wagon and various small tools. So actually, he had borrowed money, and the only way he could borrow money was the fact that he had two badly scarred thumbnails because he was a carpenter, and every time he goes to the city store here in San Jose, says, "Let me see your right hand. Let me see your left hand." And that was his way of selling himself, in other words, that he was honest and will pay him back. Same with the grocery store. They went to Chinese store in Cleveland Avenue, which is now City of San Jose corporation yard, and bought all the groceries there.

JS: So that his, his thumbnails were sort of like his identification?

ES: Right.

JS: [Laughs] That was intended.

ES: Yes.

JS: Because did Japanese have any sort of formal identification at that time that they could use?

ES: Well, no, there was no application they could use for credit or anything, it mostly was cash and carry. But starting the farm, he needed farm equipment, he couldn't afford to buy 'em, so that's how he started.

JS: And how were the other Japanese farmers beginning their businesses?

ES: Well, there were, other Japanese farmers were, got together and formed a partnership together, and that's how they started the farm.

JS: What type of farming activities were the Japanese farmers involved in at that time?

ES: Well, at that particular time, the fruit-growing, you plant the trees and it takes good many years to bear. But truck crops, berry crops, and fresh vegetables, would take very short time and very little investment. So that's what most of the Japanese started growing berries and vegetables.

JS: Did they have farming help when they were creating these truck farms?

ES: Well, they had farming help because these immigrants from Japan were eager to make a few dollars, and they would help work each other on the farm.

JS: So you said that they were either leaseholders or sharecroppers.

ES: Right.

JS: Who owned the land that they were working on?

ES: Well, mostly Caucasians of other ethnic background.

JS: Did they favor Japanese farmers?

ES: Well, there were many of them favored Japanese farmers 'cause they discovered that they were very intelligent, hard-working people. I know when the load of people came to Alviso by barge, farmers were there waiting at Alviso and offered them jobs.

JS: By "farmers," you mean Caucasian farmers?

ES: Caucasian farmers.

JS: Okay.

ES: In the north valley here.

JS: Okay.

<End Segment 3> - Copyright © 2005 Densho and The Japanese American Museum of San Jose. All Rights Reserved.