Modern examples are still rampant today, and the story of Laos refugees Yao Cho and Tcheng Saelee of T&Y Strawberry Patch, on Highway 16, typifies one such tale.
Amidst Communist rule in Laos, Yao Cho and Tcheng, who did not know each other at the time, both escaped to refugee camps in Thailand with their families in the early 1980s.
Through a program sponsored through the United Nations, Yao Cho's family applied to be "adopted" by a family in America. His parents, along with two siblings, left Thailand and landed in Wichita, Kan., in 1980 without being able to speak English. The family who adopted them found them a house and supported them until they were able to find work on their own, including obtaining job skills for them, taking them to church and basic English language skills.
Tcheng's family, on the other hand, had cousins already living in Oklahoma who were willing to sponsor them. Through a similar program, 14 members of her immediate family crossed the pond to Oklahoma City in 1981.
"We never met in Laos," Tcheng said of her now husband, Yao Cho. "We met in the United States." In fact they met in Kansas City where they married in 1981.
The couple moved to California in 1984.
"We could not read or speak good English," said Yao Cho in broken English. "When we looked for jobs, no one would hire us. We had no choice, so we got into farming."
"In my country, I saw my parents farm," Tcheng said. "I arrived in America as a teenager and didn't go to school long enough for other skills," she said on getting into the industry.
In 1994 the Saelee's inquired about a barren plot of land on Highway 16.
"This is a good location, and a lot of customers support it," Tcheng said. "Strawberries have a short season, not long enough to make a living. So my kids agreed to help year-round at the fruit stand."
The Saelee's have five children in all, three of whom work at the Patch. David, 24, goes to school and helps part-time, Newt, 22, works full-time, and sister Nai, 20 goes to school in San Francisco and helps at the shop on the weekends.
"We built (the store) to help the kids so they can take over," Tcheng said. "For those who don't want to, they can work for someone else."
"It's hard work," Yao Cho said. "Working the ground, watering, sun, heat, rain, cleaning the weeds ... ."
"I'm happy to grow the vegetables. When they come up and look good, I feel happy," said Tcheng. "I don't think about the money."
Newt has been working for his parents for as long as he can remember. "As kids, we would play in the fields," he said. "As we got older, we understood more how our parents worked, and we put more effort into helping them out. We all have our own things that we do, but we all come back and help out.
"(Our parents) understand the farming, and we come in to help with the business side of things and how to run business legitimately in America."
Newt did not plan on being a farmer. He would like to go to school, as his siblings have, and try something different, but doesn't think now is the right time. "My parents set up a foundation for us. If I were to leave, my parents wouldn't have any help. I'd like to do something on my own, but it's not the time," he said.
Meanwhile, Newt is content seeing customers happy.
"When people buy something and come back, that shows me we're doing something right," he said. "We help out a lot of local farmers, which helps the community."
The Saelee's do not spray certain vegetables with chemicals, but are not certified organic because they spray pesticides for weeds.
"With us," said Newt, "we're cheaper in price for better quality (than supermarkets) and it's fresher. You know where (the produce) is coming from. It grows right out back, it's fresh," he said.
As with any enterprise, working with family can sometimes be a challenge. "Trying to work together as a family can be difficult because we all have our own opinion," Newt said. "But we still get along."
Depending on the season, the Saelee's grow their own broccoli, turnips, cucumbers, oriental vegetables, potatoes, garlic, onions, watermelons, squash, herbs, okra, strawberries, blackberries, green beans, zucchini, pumpkins, bell peppers, corn, bok choy, lettuce, kale and other vegetables.
