Mas Masumoto
Contact Mas Via Email masumoto@AOL.com
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
October 2006
November 2006
February 2007
Memoir Writing Workshop Student presentation: FFA and 4H students Student writing workshop, East Bakersfield High
Evening program - Author reading Beal Memorial Library 7:00 pm www.onebookonebakersfield.com
February 2006
October 2005
September 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February, 2005
Soon To Be PublishedAn article about AGRI-TOURISM by Mas Masumoto in "Insights - Tourism News from the State of California", Here's a sample from the article...
"Agri-tourism - the term conjures images of visiting California's rolling hillsides of grapes and orchards, waking up to early morning dew kissing the luscious produce along the coastal and inland farming areas, staying where the aromas of ripening fruits hug the earth during evening walks in the Central Valley."
"But the image runs much deeper because at the heart of agri-tourism lies authentic stories - a tale of people working the land. On our farm, our story necessarily includes the hard physical work where sweat becomes mixed with hope and an unfolding drama of partnering with nature, a precarious balance between forces that can produce some of the richest bounty in the world and sweep it away within minutes of a violent weather front. These are not dramatic reenactments - I am not an actor nor a stage character - the strength of agri-tourism remains physical and direct - visitors can see, feel, touch, hear and taste the meaning of my farm life."
"Insights - Tourism News from the State of California", is a publication from the California Travel and Tourism Commission and the California Trade and Commerce Agency for copies, contact...
Farming has always had a rich tradition of storytelling -- from families sitting around the kitchen table at dinnertime to late night tale swapping on front porch rocking chairs. Stories are told and retold and usually well-received. Stories of harvest and work, of family and personal histories, about the building of friendships and community. These stories are often passed from neighbor to neighbor, generation to generation. Mas Masumoto will be appearing at the Visalia Library to read and share stories from his books, EPITAPH FOR A PEACH and HARVEST SON, acclaimed works about San Joaquin Valley farm life and a family's struggle with the challenges of nature.
Mas will not only read passages but also engage in a conversation with the audience, composed of both "city folks" and "farm folks." This sharing experience will be a "family discussion," facilitated by Marcy Masumoto, who will add a woman's voice to the conversation.
As a special treat, Mas will add a special segment of "story song," a reading in tandem with music, combining the spoken voice with the magic of musical performance. Accompanying him will be his daughter, Nikiko who plays the Japanese taiko drum (they will perform a story about a hailstorm) and Larry Honda, a talented musician (together they blend jazz and blues with stories of sweat and harvests).
All of this will take place on Friday, October 15th, 1999, at 7:00 p.m. at the Visalia Library at 200 W. Oak St. in downtown Visalia, a couple of blocks north of Main St. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.). The event is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Tulare County Library and the Tulare County Farm Bureau, who will cooperatively provide refreshments. The program is this year's annual "Evening at the Library" event and is free to the public and will be fun for all ages. As a bonus, the program will be taped for "California Heartland," a public television program from KVIE that will be later broadcast around the state.
"I hope my stories linger and connect with memories of harvests past and the many rich harvests in the future," Mas Masumoto.
September 1999Mas Masumoto featured in The Wall Street Journal, California section, September 22, 1999
"Life Is Just Peachy For Farmer Turned Writer and Speaker"
Book on His Success in Saving Sun Crest Variety Orchard Is an Inspiration to Manyby Brenda Moorestaff reporter, The Wall Street Journal
DEL REY - On a warm night in the Central Valley last July, David Mas Masumoto and his daughter stood in the front yard of their farmhouse, pounding a pair of Taiko drums to recreate the rhythms of a devastating hailstorm that had sliced open much of the fruit on their peach trees.
About 50 people gathered around them, munching on peach desserts, sipping wine and microbrews and taking in the farm that has become a small-scale "Field of Dreams". They had paid up to $40 apiece for this change to see and hear Mr. Masumoto, a third generation farmer who has gained a measure of fame since he wrote a book four years ago about preserving a rare variety of peach and a way of life.....
Mas' latest book... Heirlooms: Letters From A Peach Farmer was published in August 2007
Mas Masumoto is the author of... Letters to the Valley, A Harvest of Memories, Four Seasons in Five Senses,Things Worth Savoring , Harvest Son , Epitaph for a Peach ,and Country Voices
Epitaph for a Peach & Harvest Son Spoken Words and Story Songs by David Mas Masumoto with Larry Honda and Nikiko Masumoto Available Now On CD
Meet Mas during one of his personal appearances.
Mas Masumoto - Author, Farmer, Father