Chapter 4: Taking Over the Farm (3)

TL: Hanguk

Eight hundred thousand dollars.

That was the cost to take over the 15-acre farm, and among that, the actual amount withdrawn from Dad’s bank account was a little over fifty million won in Korean currency, which was forty thousand dollars.

We acquired a Cabernet Sauvignon farm the size of about six soccer fields for barely a little over fifty million won.

“Let’s really do well.”

“Honey, I can really work hard.”

Dad and Mom held each other’s hands tightly, tears streaming down their faces,

“Just trust me, just… I’ll save every one of those trees.”

I tried to soothe their anxiety by boasting loudly.

Even if we had taken over the farm for only forty thousand dollars, the loan interest and principal weren’t going anywhere. If the farm failed, that loan would inevitably fall squarely on our family’s shoulders.

The reason I used every trick possible in the negotiation with John Anderson, though not illegal, was to reduce the loan in any way and lessen the burden.

Assuming a 10-year term with a 5 percent interest rate, cutting even a hundred thousand dollars would reduce the monthly principal and interest by a thousand dollars, so I had no choice but to rack my brain desperately.

It is always when you begin something for the first time with your own possession that you are most enthusiastic. When you start a business for the first time, you dive in with your greatest passion. That is why my parents, looking only to me, were filled with determination.

"So this is all ours now, right?"

The next morning, after the farm had been taken over and all the paperwork was secured, my parents and I stood at the entrance of Redwood Farm. The warm sunlight fell as it always did, but today the silence and chilly air covering the entire Vineyard felt even colder.

A vast Vineyard stretching endlessly. Of course, compared to the enormous land of America and even just the neighboring farms, this one was tiny like a speck, but my parents and I were overwhelmed with emotion.

“Yes, it’s all ours.”

My mom said, placing a hand over her chest.

“Dear, my heart is trembling. It feels good that this is all ours, but… what if we fail?”

“Even so, since Woo-Seok really pushed the price down, even if things go worse, we won’t end up out on the street.”

“Dear…? Is that something to say?”

“Ahem… I mean, it’s just a way of saying. We’ll make it succeed.”

Dad tried to reassure her but only earned a scolding from Mom, so he cleared his throat and turned his head. Before the conversation dragged on, I took the first step.

“Let’s go.”

I had visited once before, but coming again felt different. Problems invisible before now appeared one by one. Back then they were someone else’s problem, but now they had become mine.

“It’s in much worse shape than I thought. After John Anderson decided to sell the farm, he practically abandoned it.”

Dad spoke as he walked slowly along the farm road. His gaze stayed on the sickly yellowed grape leaves and the vines covered with white powder.

“Yes, it looks that way.”

“Woo-Seok, we have to assume this year’s harvest is over. What’s hanging now has no market value.”

I had already anticipated this, so I nodded calmly without surprise.

“If there were anything marketable, Mr. John Anderson wouldn’t have sold it for such a low price. It’s fine, let’s spend this year helping the vines regain their strength.”

Thinking about a year’s worth of interest felt daunting, but my parents had already braced themselves for that much. They had known from the start that the farm was in poor condition.

“Then for now, we just follow the method you told us before, right?”

“Yes, the diluted milk solution. Do you remember what I said last time?”

Dad, his face filled with hope, nodded.

“One cup of milk to ten cups of water. That really works?”

“Yes, and if we mix natural sulfur powder into it and treat the trees with the worst disease first, we can at least quickly control the pests and diseases. That’s the only way we can hope for next year.”

Even at this time of year, there were still some farms that used this method. No, it was actually a fairly well-known technique, but because conventional pesticides were more convenient, more intuitive, and produced results faster, it was clear that the former owner had made no effort to look for alternatives.

Dad looked around the grapevines once more. His face was still full of worry, but at the same time, a hint of expectation could be seen.

“Then should we try it right now?”

I picked up the buckets and sprayers I had prepared and stepped toward the trees. Dad watched me for a long moment, then silently picked up a bucket and followed behind me.

Following the ratio I had prepared in advance, I mixed milk and water to make the diluted solution, then measured the sulfur powder precisely and blended it in.

“If we spray this evenly on the grape leaves and stems, their condition will start improving in a few days.”

“I’ll try it too.”

"Honey, you do this section over here... I'll do over there."

As I carefully sprayed each grape leaf, my parents watched me closely and soon began repeating the same actions. At first, Dad’s face had been full of anxiety and doubt, but as time passed, it gradually transformed into confidence and anticipation.

Around lunchtime, the farm workers who had worked here in the past began to show up one by one. It seemed Dad had contacted them beforehand.

“Oh, Jae-ho. You really took over this farm?”

At his old colleagues’ cheerful voices, Dad smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

“Yes. This time, I am the owner of this farm, so you guys can trust and follow me, right?"

Everyone laughed and nodded at his words. But I was caught off guard, since I hadn’t expected the other workers to show up.

“Dad, wait a moment…”

“Hm?”

I pulled him to a quiet spot and asked,

“Are you planning to hire those people? For us to hire them…”

“I know. That’s why I’m not planning to hire them for long. I only called the ones who would have trouble making a living right away if they couldn’t work now. We can’t handle pest control on a farm this large by ourselves anyway. If we hire them for just one week, it won’t be a big burden for us.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

After thinking for a long moment, I called Mom over as well. Then, after making sure the workers couldn’t hear us, I said,

“Then let’s do it like this. While we’re at it, Dad and Mom, I want you two to harvest all the grapes currently on the vines.”

“Huh? You’re not planning to sell those, are you? They’re far too low quality to…”

“I know. We’re not going to sell them as they are, so don’t worry. Just store them in a warehouse where the workers can’t reach. Dad, keep the key firmly with you, and make sure the CCTV and security system are working. Even low-quality grapes could be stolen and used to scam people.”

“Then… don’t worry about it.”

So while the workers focused on pest control, my parents and I harvested the grapes with no market value.

“Good work.”

“You worked hard too.”

“My son, you worked so hard today. I feel so reassured.”

The three of us had been working since dawn, with only a short break at lunchtime, and returned home utterly exhausted, yet happier than ever. Especially since we were usually not very active, after coming home, washing up, and eating dinner, we couldn’t do anything else and collapsed straight onto our beds.

The next day, although my heart wanted to stay absorbed in the farm work, I had the mission of attending college, so I finished breakfast with a simple meal and headed to school.

But when I arrived, the way people looked at me had changed strangely. As if they were looking at some bizarre creature?

I learned the reason for these strange looks through Rachel.

“Brian! I heard your family bought a farm?”

“Ah…”

So it was that, as expected.

“Is it true?”

“Yeah. That’s right. We took over Redwood Farm.”

“So that’s why you gave up becoming an accountant. I knew there had to be a reason. Why didn’t you say something earlier? Everyone misunderstood.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“Is there really anything to misunderstand?”

“Still. You’ve become a little different from the rest of us now.”

Rachel’s eyes held a trace of admiration. Only then did I understand why everyone’s gaze toward me had changed slightly. They no longer saw me as the son of an immigrant laborer but as the son of a farm owner, and that difference must have felt strange to them.

As an Asian and a fellow immigrant, Rachel felt something slightly different from what the American students felt.

“I’m the same. My direction just changed a little. From accountant to farmer.”

“Yeah, you look better. Work hard.”

Rachel folded her arms as if she had nothing more to say and disappeared. Somehow, I felt that I wouldn’t have much to do with her anymore. Since I had chosen a blue-collar path instead of a white-collar one, she must have decided there was no longer a reason for us to meet.

I understood Rachel. She had her own way of living.

After class ended, instead of going straight home, I moved quickly around the campus until I stopped in front of an office.

Knock knock!

When I knocked and entered, a man in his mid-forties with a noticeably bald head looked up.

“Hello, Mr. Miller.”

“Oh, Brian? What brings you here?”

“Yes. I wanted to join the Agriscience Club.”

The Agriscience Club is a club where students learn and practice various topics related to agriculture and science (agriculture + science). Students do real-life projects, experiential learning, and community volunteer work. It provides a lot of practical support and is also extremely valuable for gaining important points when applying to agricultural colleges.

“The Agriscience Club? You?”

He was surprised that an Asian student wanted to join an agriculture club.

“Yes. Actually, my family just took over a Vineyard.”

“Really? Huh… which farm?”

“Redwood Farm. So I want to start learning agriculture. Is it possible?”

“Of course. When can you start?”

“As soon as possible.”

“Then… are you thinking about college as well…?”

“Yes. I’m considering UC Davis.”

“Oh, then participating in our club will be essential for you, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Good. I’ll help you as much as I can. Start coming from tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

After joining the Agriscience Club, I left the school and headed to the farm. Tossing my bag onto a bench in the workers’ break room, I ran straight toward the storage shed, where I saw my parents in the distance harvesting the low-quality grapes.

“Dad! Mom! I’m here! Come to the shed!”

I waved, and my parents slowly approached.

“After picking all this time, I think we finished about one-third of it. But what are you going to do with this? Isn’t it something we should throw away?”

Mom removed the hat covering her head. She looked exhausted, but her expression was bright.

Receiving the key from Dad, I swung open the storage shed and softly smiled at the grapes neatly stacked in boxes.

“Throw it away? No. We’re going to make vinegar.”

“Vinegar?”