Sowing the Seeds of Success

As a produce broker in the 1930s, Henry Higashi supplied fruit and vegetables to grocery stores, buying from San Joaquin county farmers. But he had to abandon the business when he was interned during the war. After being released, he tried to collect on old debts from customers.

It was a lot of money, especially in the 1940s. "That was about $6000 they owed me," recalls Henry. " Nobody paid me a nickel."

So Henry and his family did whatever they could to earn money, including foraging for crops. He recalls that "there used to be black walnuts along Highway 50. So we picked up the walnuts and made it through the winter."

Henry ran a Stockton pool hall and taxi business before returning to his roots in agriculture. But it was anything but easy because "for three years I farmed, but couldn't make heads or tails."

That is, until he seized an opportunity, buying and packaging surplus tomatoes left in the fields after the harvest. People scooped up Henry's packaged tomatoes and the family quickly made enough money to pay off their debts.

Henry became so good at turning tomatoes into gold that he earned the nickname "Tomato King", and became one of San Joaquin County's most successful farmers.