(soft piano music)
- I am first Sikh East Indian guy,
first one in Whatcom County.
And I moved here (laughs) very first year.
Why food, I don't know why.
(joyful piano music)
You feel better, to do you farming.
It's like nature to grow, to sell.
Then I move here, Washington,
1983 I start farming.
I'm live here for hard work,
I living pretty good here, myself.
Last 30 year, I'm do farming, good life,
evening time take a shower
and go to change the irrigation.
Me feel good all the time
and live in farming.
Was berry farming when I came here, Washington.
Me brother, he told me, better grow raspberries.
It's good for farmer, good income.
And last five, six year now, lotta blueberries this area.
I think good for health
and also the medication
and that's why I think people doing a lot of blueberry.
(upbeat music)
(machinery whirring)
Difficulty is when I start farming, 1983,
I can't have place to sell.
That people buy fruit don't take me fruit.
I think that I am a new here
and a different color.
I buy same place me for (mumbles),
all the chemicals, same spray whatever they,
but I told them "Everybody, hey, I do same thing."
That difficulty first year,
that's no money, I spent all the money.
That may never help me.
They said, "Oh no, no, next year don't worry.
"I can help you."
It's a good people.
Good people, gave everybody opportunity.
(upbeat music)
This area last 35 year,
I buy it on about 40 to 45 properties.
Buy farm, buy house,
buy land to sell.
I'm pretty deep here now (laughs) this area.
(upbeat music)
'93 or '94, we gathering one day,
we made more temple.
'94, around up to 30 Sikh people around here this area.
Not many.
They buy five-acre land here.
We started '99, we built up a temple here.
And I am first one to start there.
(singing)
(peaceful music)
Now, round about a hundred East Indian Sikh farmer.
(upbeat guitar music)
Our guru and our teacher,
they all the same explain to us.
The God is make everything for you.
That's why I'm pray when I eat, pray for everybody,
not for us, pray for everybody.
(upbeat music)
Our temple once a month
take a food for the poor people on the street.
(upbeat music)
It's not a Sikh community, different community, no.
It's all one community.
I'm not see any different each other.
Looks me, everybody sees me.
I no say that, I'm leader this community.
I'm a hard worker for this community,
this large area, that's my country.
That's our people live in this area
all American, your America.
That's our people, not any different.
Everybody have different culture.
I have a different culture
but now I am same in the all the people.
My living here in this area,
I don't see any different in each other.
(joyful guitar music)