Four Snowball Flowers

 

Bob Fletcher graduated with an agricultural degree in 1933, from the college that would later become the University of California at Davis. He worked as county and state agricultural inspector, and in that capacity became friends with several farm owners who were Japanese Americans. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, with the eviction and incarceration of Japanese Americans eminent, the Tsukamoto family approached Bob with an idea. Bob could run the flame tokay grape farms belonging to two of the family’s friends. He could pay their mortgages and taxes, and keep any profits. Bob had no experience with grapes, but he wanted to help. He quit his job and managed the two farms for three years. As agreed, Bob paid the mortgages and taxes, but only pocketed half the proceeds. When the families were released, their farms and homes were intact, and half the profits were waiting for them in the bank.