Daddy's One Acre is told through the eyes of a child growing up in the San Joaquin Valley, California during the late 1950s-1960s
Daddy's One Acre follows a migrant farm worker and his family when Daddy and Mama buy their first home and settle down in a 'little Okie.'
Written by m j hollingshead writing as Tomsdattar the tale centers around the day to day happenings of a typical 'okie' i.e. anyone in California in the 60s who had a hint of south in their voices. Didn't matter where you were born, it was the accent that marked you.
Excerpt
Daddy could grow darn near anything. He planted by hand each and every one of the trees and vines, and, grass and flowers that came to grace the horrible weed heap Daddy viewed as having ‘possibilities.’ If a tree failed to thrive or a vine did not begin to leaf right out after being planted Daddy was patient. Daddy gave his plants one full year before he really began to ponder whether they might or might not live. He just figured they were going to show life sooner or later. And, most times Daddy was right in his thinking. The dead shriveled sticks Patty, Anne and I wondered why he did not remove most often sprang into life during the following spring. Amazing. Now how did Daddy know they were going to do that?
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