Story by Luis Aceves

"I first came to the United States from Guadalajara, Mexico in 1964 at the age of 17. I had a 45-day contract to work picking tomatoes, and I came alone. After my contract ended, I stayed in the U.S. and worked in the Sacramento area doing construction and working in orchards. In 1964 a couple friends of mine and I came to Tulelake looking to haul hay. I got a job the very next day with Gary Dahle driving cat. I began working for Lowell Kenyon at LK Produce in the winters beginning that same year. 

I met Alice at the shed in 1968. We married and had 3 kids. We also mostly raised Kathy O’Neil. We had agriculture exchange students live with us beginning in the early 1980's through about 1985. Each lived with us
for one year. The first year we had one from Uruguay, the second year we hosted two from Uruguay, year three we had one from Chile and one from Uruguay, and the last year we had one from Belize. The young men were ag engineers just out of college and were eager to learn about our farming practices. We learned a lot from them also, besides becoming attached to each one of them.

I’m so proud of my kids. All four graduated from Chico State University. Michael is now the Ag Inspector for Modoc County, Tammy is a probation officer for Butte College, Angie works at Chico’s WalMart, and Kathy works as a cake decorator for Albertson's in Chico. My kids have made me a rich man — not by money, but by love.

My wife and I own seven rental houses here in Tulelake. We live on the $2500/month rent (less expenses) we receive from them. When it was announced there would be no water for agriculture here, the value of those houses pretty much disappeared. One of the seven houses has already become vacant, the other families are waiting to hear what will happen to Tulelake. I have a friend who also has rental houses and he has 3 of his 5 empty already.

When I came to this country I couldn’t read or write English, but now I can. I passed the Naturalization test and I think it’s important that every person in a community works hard to be a good citizen and contribute as best they can back to the community.

Even if I don’t stay in Tulelake, I don’t want this community to die.