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SG: What kind of responsibilities did you have growing up as a son?

BO: As a son, well, we didn't get paid actually. Maybe the year we might get fifty dollar or a hundred dollar, that we could, or we'd get to go to the movie or something like that. But they pay all the expense like that, Japanese school, judo, kendo, and all that, and we put full effort in those things. But high school studies, we carried a book home, but we never opened and take it right back to high school again. That's, and we did a lot of, they picked the Brussels sprout or broccoli or something like that and bring it in the shed, and then we work in getting that prepared for the market. And we night work, then we load up the car, the truck, and then Dad takes to market, and then he comes back by noon. So actually, we didn't get too much chance to study.

SG: Do you mind describing what a typical day would be like for you growing up during elementary school?

BO: Elementary school, well, we have a regular daily job to do and had to be home on time. Well, we didn't have to do too much with our brother and sister, younger, just do what we were told.

SG: What kind of activities did you do around the farm?

BO: Well, I just happened to be the one that gets stuck behind the horse. The horse got to keep moving, got to cultivate the plow, and I have to do that or somebody had to take care the, clean up the barn or feed and water and all that. That's a daily job including the milking cow. We only had one cow, but I did all the milking myself and then bring it home. That was my job. Then the others could take it a little easier.

SG: Did you like doing those things?

BO: Like to do it?

SG: Yeah.

BO: I like to pass the buck. [Laughs]

SG: So you didn't make your brother and sister do those things?

BO: No, no. I just take it on my own because I'm the older brother to them, younger ones, so I just do it, you know. But my older sister, the one above me and I, we got along real good. Anything she says or I says, she used to take care, and help me out. She's the one who is in, way out in National now.

SG: What kind of, what kind of plants did your family grow?

BO: Cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, all kinds of vegetables, peas, beans. Even planting, we worked until we hardly see in the dark out there. Mom had so much plant. We pulled and we had to plant this; otherwise, it would dry up, and you just got to throw it away. So we work hard and get them all planted. I happened to be the fastest one because I want to, there's a goal you got to set, you know. You got to go and get it done. If not, we all had to stay out there. But that's what we did, child labor. No water, that's right, no water. They didn't bring water out in the field. So anything we see, vegetables, we pop them and we eat it right there. Good plants, we would pop them and chew for water. You never think of, nowadays, everybody has to have water. During that time, no.

SG: Where did you take the plants after you gathered them?

BO: Plants, we had a seabed, have to water and raise it. And after this, then we would take, lift them up and soak it in water and then take it out in the field and then start planting. We had a regular seabed where we raised these plants, all of them, you know.

SG: So after you harvested the plants, what happened?

BO: You mean after we replant, pull, and replant out in the field, then hazardous material, then we had to spray. That spraying usually kills. All the arsenic and all that stuff we inhale, no mask. You got to work with the wind. Then we get a sore spot in the back where it pulls. Later on, they bought a tractor with a beam spray that sprays it and you have a different nozzle and then go down spray with a gas mask. My brother got that. When I asked him, that's the difference between older and the younger one.

SG: It's sounds like tough work.

BO: Yeah. Young days, it was, can't go to town and play around.

SG: Where did your parents sell the vegetables they grew?

BO: Right there, 190th and Powell. Well actually, up the hill, that's where we had about 45 acres of truck farm including all the berries and stuff. Wintertime, you cut the vines and you wind them up on the wires and stuff. So there always was work winter or summer. But Mama was, always got to do this, got to do that. Yeah, okay, okay, you know. Dad says, "Well, Mom said this, so let's do it." If we go, me and my brother, we go and do it, and surprise Mom. Then we kept Mom happy in those ways; otherwise, she will be doing it.

<End Segment 5> - Copyright © 2004 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.