The Ukegawa Family Journey: From Japan to Carlsbad’s Strawberry Fields
Today, when visitors pick strawberries overlooking the Agua Hedionda Lagoon or bring their children to the pumpkin patch each fall, they are experiencing far more than a family farm. They are stepping into one of Carlsbad’s most remarkable stories of resilience.
A New Life Begins
The Ukegawa story begins in Japan.
Like many Issei (一世)—the first generation of Japanese immigrants—Fukutaro and Tomoye Ukegawa left their homeland in the early 1900s with hopes of creating a better future in America. California offered fertile farmland, economic opportunity, and the chance to build something that could be passed from one generation to the next.
The family first settled in Tustin, where they established their roots in farming. Agriculture required long hours and endless determination, but the Ukegawas believed hard work would provide opportunities for their children.
Their American-born children became the Nisei (二世) generation—citizens of the United States by birth who would grow up balancing two cultures while embracing the American dream.
No one could have imagined how quickly that dream would change.
Pearl Harbor Changes Everything
The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, changed the lives of Japanese Americans forever.
Following Executive Order 9066, the Ukegawas, along with more than 120,000 Japanese Americans, were forced to leave their homes with only what they could carry.
Like thousands of farming families, they were forced to sell their farm, equipment, and possessions for pennies on the dollar.
The family was separated.
Tomoye was sent back to Japan, where she lived in Osaka during the devastating firebombing campaign of World War II. Family members have recalled that living through the destruction of Osaka was, in many ways, even more frightening than life inside the American internment camps.
Meanwhile, Fukutaro was incarcerated at the Poston War Relocation Center in Arizona.
Although separated by an ocean, the family never stopped supporting one another. Relatives mailed care packages whenever possible. One item was especially precious—salt. During wartime shortages, something as simple as salt became a treasured gift, symbolizing hope, love, and the determination to survive.
Finding Purpose at Poston
Life inside Poston was difficult, but people searched for ways to maintain hope and dignity.
Fukutaro joined the government’s Work Furlough Program, leaving the camp temporarily to work as a field hand harvesting crops needed during the war. Even under extraordinary circumstances, farming remained part of his identity.
Later, he joined the U.S. Army Paratroopers, choosing to serve the country despite the hardships his family had endured.
One unexpected blessing also came from Poston.
While living in the camp, the Ukegawas became friends with another Japanese-American family from Oceanside. That friendship would help shape the family’s future after the war.
Starting Over
When the war ended, there was no farm waiting for the Ukegawas.
Everything had to be rebuilt.
Following the advice of the family they met at Poston, they settled first in Oceanside, living next door to their new friends.
There, they returned to what they knew best—farming.
The family grew tomatoes while saving enough money to begin again.
Then, in 1952, Hiroshi Ukegawa started farming in Carlsbad, drawn by the area’s fertile soil and ideal climate.
By 1959, the family had made Carlsbad their permanent home.
Today, the family matriarch still lives overlooking the Agua Hedionda Lagoon, a living reminder of the remarkable journey that brought the Ukegawas to Carlsbad.
Four Generations of Farmers
The Ukegawa story spans four generations.
- Issei (一世): Fukutaro and Tomoye, who immigrated from Japan.
- Nisei (二世): Hiroshi, who rebuilt the family farm after World War II.
- Sansei (三世): Jimmy Ukegawa and his siblings, who expanded and modernized the family business.
- Yonsei (四世): Robyn Ukegawa and the next generation, who continue sharing the family’s agricultural heritage.
Hiroshi and his wife raised five children.
Among them was Jimmy Ukegawa, the second oldest, who would become the face of the Carlsbad Strawberry Company.
Although two of the siblings have since passed away, three remain, continuing the family’s close connection to the land.
Building the Carlsbad Strawberry Company
Over the decades, the family built one of Carlsbad’s most recognizable agricultural businesses.
As development spread across North County, the Ukegawas watched neighboring farms disappear.
Like many family farmers, they faced increasing costs and shrinking farmland.
At one point, the family even experimented with farming in Mexico, hoping lower operating costs would improve profitability. Ultimately, they decided their future belonged in Carlsbad.
Rather than leaving agriculture behind, they adapted.
The Carlsbad Strawberry Company evolved into an agritourism destination where visitors could experience farming firsthand through U-pick strawberries, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, educational programs, and family activities.
Ironically, while strawberries remain the farm’s signature crop, pumpkin season has become the business’s largest annual source of income, helping sustain the farm throughout the year.
The Measure A Debate
By 2016, the future of the strawberry fields had become one of Carlsbad’s most significant public conversations.
Developer Rick Caruso and Caruso Affiliated proposed what became known as the 85/15 Plan. The proposal would have developed approximately 15% of a 203-acre property into an upscale retail, dining, and entertainment destination while permanently preserving roughly 85% as open space and active agricultural land. It also included plans for a large public park overlooking the Agua Hedionda Lagoon.
The proposal generated passionate opinions throughout the community.
Environmental organizations questioned the approval process, arguing the project should proceed through California’s standard environmental review procedures.
Westfield, owner of The Shops at Carlsbad and Westfield UTC, also actively opposed the proposal. Because the Caruso project included a new upscale retail center, it was viewed as a potential competitor to Westfield’s existing shopping centers. Westfield became one of the major financial supporters of the campaign against Measure A.
Many Carlsbad residents voted against the proposal because they believed they were protecting the strawberry fields from development.
Jimmy Ukegawa viewed the proposal differently.
He has shared that he believed the 85/15 Plan would have benefited both Carlsbad and the Strawberry Fields. From his perspective, the proposal would have permanently preserved most of the farmland, created a significant public park, and provided the city with protected open space at no cost to taxpayers while giving the family farm a more sustainable future.
Ultimately, Measure A was narrowly defeated by Carlsbad voters in February 2016.
Today, opinions about the proposal still differ. Some residents believe the vote protected Carlsbad from commercial development, while others, including Jimmy, believe it represented a missed opportunity to permanently preserve agriculture through a different approach. Regardless of those differing views, the debate reflected a community deeply invested in protecting Carlsbad’s unique character.
Continuing to Fight for Agriculture
Challenges continued after Measure A.
In 2022, the Carlsbad Strawberry Company successfully appealed proposed city land-use requirements that threatened seasonal farm operations. More than one hundred community members submitted letters supporting the family, demonstrating how much the farm had become part of Carlsbad’s identity. The appeal allowed the family to continue its seasonal attractions without major infrastructure changes that could have jeopardized the business.
A Living Legacy
Today, the Carlsbad Strawberry Company farms approximately 40 acres, with about 14 acres planted in Albion strawberries each season.
Each spring, families fill baskets with fresh berries.
Each autumn, children run through corn mazes, pick pumpkins, and meet farm animals.
Most visitors see a wonderful family destination.
Those who know the story see something even more meaningful.
They see the legacy of immigrants who crossed the Pacific Ocean seeking opportunity. They see a family separated by war but reunited through determination. They see four generations who refused to give up on farming, even as the world around them changed.
Cherimarie’s Reflection
As someone who has lived in Carlsbad for more than 30 years and loves sharing its history, I think the Ukegawa family represents the very best of our community.
Their story reminds us that Carlsbad isn’t defined only by its beaches or beautiful weather. It’s defined by the people who built it—families who endured hardship, embraced new beginnings, and invested their lives in this community.
When I drive past the strawberry fields overlooking the Agua Hedionda Lagoon, I don’t just see rows of berries.
I see courage.
I see perseverance.
I see generations of a family whose roots stretch from Japan to Tustin, through Oceanside, and finally to Carlsbad.
Their story isn’t just the history of a farm.
It’s the story of how hope, hard work, and family can overcome even the greatest challenges—and how that legacy continues to grow with every season.