We had moved to Ballico CA, in the summer of 59. Mom had decided that we could make more money there. We moved to a Peach and Grape ranch and Dad got a job operating equipment while Mom and the older girls worked in the harvest. Patsy was old enough to help, and I was kinda there for the ride, although I did assist where I could. Picking peaches they would have certain "drives" in the field, every 8 trees or so. they would go ahead of the pickers and put fruit boxes between the first two trees on the Drive and then skip a spot and put more boxes. This was called a set. each family would pick a set of trees, then move down the drive to the next available set and pick those 4 trees. We all had Numbers to write on the top box of each stack so that the boss could credit us with our boxes, as we were paid by the box. Mom Phyllis and Betty had to carry long ladders to get the fruit in the top of the tree, while Patsy and I would pick the lower fruit. I would also "check" the fruit, I had a small plastic ring and if a peach fell through the ring it was too small and had to be discarded. The fuzz on the peaches was very itchy, and combined with the heat, you would be miserable by quitting time. We did this all harvest. At some point after dad got his operators job we were given a house on the ranch to live in rent free. We stayed in Ballico for my sixth grade year, and I had the most fantastic teacher that year. I do not know why but out of all my Teachers, he is the one I remember most for good things, a couple of others I remember because I really disliked them though. LOL His name was Carl Ditch, Don't know what ever happened to him Hope he had a great career and a great life.
I remember we were raising baby chicks as a class project, and we kept them in a small glass sided box he had helped us make. I was one of the ones that got to take them out for exercise in the school yard, and one day I had them following me around, I was walking backwards, and I tripped over the box breaking 2 sides. He just took it in the room and replaced the sides and said Just be more careful next time. I met my first love there, her name was Margaret, She had long curly hair and was just so beautiful. Of course I was too shy and never did get to let her know how pretty and sweet I Thought she was.
Also i got to go to a week long "Summer Camp", it was great, we went to the coast of California, in the Redwoods. I loved it it was your typical 50's summer camp, cabins, swimming, hikes, crafts, and other activities, like archery. I didn't want it to end.
My Mom and Dad did a lot of drinking at that time, and I never realized they had a problem. Just what they did for relaxation. One of the Breweries at that time had a commercial that in it said "Go Go Go For Falstaff" Well we were playing baseball at school one day when our team had a runner going around the bases for encouragement every one was yelling "Go Go" so I yelled "Go Go Go For Falstaff" and another boy yelled something about "Just Because Your Dad is a Drunk!" Well the fight was on, and it was a pretty good one, I did come out on top, but it would be about the last fight I won for 5 years after that.
Another memory is the folks on the ranch of the Mennonite Religion, they had very strict Rules of course and if they had a car it had to be black, they could not own a television, and so on. We lived next to one of these families on the ranch, and on Saturday, the kids would be gathered around our window watching cartoons with us. I felt sorry for them, but it was my first knowledge of religion other than my own. I in fact had no real religion, I went to church at various churches depending on where I was living and who I was hanging with. From the 5th Grade until I was a Senior in high school I attended no organized church. Some time between 5th and sixth grade, we were on the move again, to some cabins owned by my Dad's Uncle Homer in a town named Ceres CA.
I will never forget walking through the orchards the smell in fall the animals running around and the birds singing.
No comments:
Post a Comment