My grandparents and father emigrated from Germany after being sponsored by a woman who needed workers on her farm and orchard in Vermont. On the ship ride over, my grandfather worked in the ship's kitchen where he had to tie the pots and pans to the stove because of the rough waters. My father ate so much citrus on the ship to prevent scurvy that he rarely touched oranges or grapefruit afterwards.

They ended up in America not knowing any English and eventually bought the farm and orchard from the woman who employed them.