On August 21th Librarian Cindy Costales welcomed the residents and their guests to another one of the Laura Scudder Series at the Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library that featured a documentary film titled “Changing Season”.

David Mas Masumoto, a farmer and slow food advocate, and his family were chronicled for one year for this film.

This is a story about a Japanese father and daughter who raise peaches, nectarines, and grapes for raisins in the Central Valley of California

In 1948 the Masumoto family purchased 40 acres of cheap farmland out side of Fresno, California.

Mr. Masumoto’s parents were in a relocation camp at Gila River during World War II.

The story about the Masumoto family and how Mas met his wife, Marcy, who also worked on his family’s farm.

They were from two different worlds but their love concurred the differences.  They raised a son, Korio and a daughter, Nikiko on the farm.

Their daughter graduated from Berkeley but chose to work on the family farm to carry on the family tradition.

The film showed the audience how they shaped the trees and harvested the fruit for sale.

David Mas Masumoto was honored in the film celebrating his 60th birthday.

David Mas Masumoto is an organic peach and grape farmer and the author of nine books including: Epitaph for a Peach, Wisdom of the Last Farmer, Heirlooms, Letters to the Valley, Four Seasons in Five Senses, Harvest Son, Country Voices, and Silent Strength. He, along with his wife, Marcy, and daughter, Nikiko, published a family farm cookbook, The Perfect Peach in 2013.

Jim Choi won the Best Director Award for “Changing Season’s” at LA Asian Pacific Film Festival in 2015.

Mrs. Costales advised the audience that Laura Scudder’s husband John Charles Scudder was raised on an East Coast farm that was in the family since the American Revolution. It was said the George Washington past through the farm in his travels.

Laura Scudder didn’t like living on the East Coast so her family relocated to Seattle and then to Monterey Park.

In 1941 the Scudder family raised chickens and cows on their 68-acre farm located on Workman Road.  The family sold fresh eggs and other products to the public.

She also wrote for the Los Angeles Times about her farm where she raised peaches.  She also promoted her produce in her newspaper articles.

Mrs. Costales thanked the audience for attending this event.

On August 28th Librarian Cindy Costales welcomed the residents and their guests to another one of the Laura Scudder Series at the Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library titled the “Cook Book Party”. This food theme event introduced the guests to several cookbooks that the library has available.

The Summer Reading Theme for adults was “Reading Is So Delicious” so 122 readers read 464 books and received Reading Bags.

This event is dedicated to Laura Scudder who developed a snack food (Potato Chips) and fresh products (Peanut Butter and Mayonnaise).

Laura Scudder also had a radio show on KFI where she spoke about her food products. She used the newspapers and radio stations to advertise her various food products.

The Los Angeles Times still has a food section that features celebrity chiefs, cookbooks and various recipes.

Maritzu De Alaiza, a librarian and cook, introduced several new cookbooks now on the library shelves: “Food, Gift, Love”; “The Bread Bible”; “Koreatown”; “Lucky Rice”; “NOPI”; “A Year of Holidays”; “An Old Fashion Christmas”; “Holiday Cookies”; “The Chew” and “The Perfect Peach”.

Cindy Costales and Maritzu De Alaiza reminded the residents that the library is collecting recipes for the Monterey Park Community Centennial Cookbook.

Please see the Reference Desk at the Library to submit your recipes with photos or submit them via email at MPKcookbook@gmail.com.

Mrs. Costales thanked everyone for attending this special foodie event.