1 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:06,333 Narr: Sam Cobb is taking the sweet 2 00:00:06,333 --> 00:00:09,400 fruit, dates, to new heights. 3 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,633 Sam: We grow seven different varieties of dates, 4 00:00:13,633 --> 00:00:17,166 including medjool dates and barhi dates, 5 00:00:17,166 --> 00:00:21,000 safawi dates and our very own variety called 6 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:25,266 black gold. Black gold is only available at Sam Cobb Farms, 7 00:00:25,266 --> 00:00:29,266 and it was developed by Mr. Cobb himself. 8 00:00:29,266 --> 00:00:32,133 Narr: Sam Cobb grows 60 acres of dates 9 00:00:32,133 --> 00:00:35,533 near the town of Blythe in Southern California. 10 00:00:35,533 --> 00:00:38,966 His passion for agriculture started with a tractor 11 00:00:38,966 --> 00:00:43,100 that drove past his home when he was just three years old. 12 00:00:43,100 --> 00:00:45,933 Sam: That has been my life ever since. 13 00:00:45,933 --> 00:00:50,266 I have never stopped chasing that tractor. 14 00:00:50,266 --> 00:00:53,333 Narr: It was in high school that Sam first understood 15 00:00:53,333 --> 00:00:58,266 the big picture, the challenges and rewards of working the land 16 00:00:58,266 --> 00:01:01,500 Sam: I could not wait to join the Future Farmers of America. 17 00:01:01,500 --> 00:01:03,033 In the ninth grade, 18 00:01:03,033 --> 00:01:06,800 and unfortunately, I was the only African-American 19 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,300 guy in the program. 20 00:01:09,300 --> 00:01:13,266 And I said, Shucks, this is not good. 21 00:01:13,266 --> 00:01:15,833 So now I'm 60 years 22 00:01:15,833 --> 00:01:18,966 old, or in my sixties... 61, actually. 23 00:01:18,966 --> 00:01:22,666 And I'm still the only African-American doing 24 00:01:22,666 --> 00:01:24,000 what I'm doing. 25 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,800 Narr: Cobb studied agriculture at Fresno State 26 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:28,366 and went on to work for the U.S. 27 00:01:28,366 --> 00:01:31,066 Department of Agriculture for 30 years, 28 00:01:31,066 --> 00:01:33,633 helping other farmers while he and his wife 29 00:01:33,633 --> 00:01:36,633 started their own farm in the 1980s. 30 00:01:36,866 --> 00:01:40,166 Sam: Finally, when I turned 40, I realized 31 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:43,533 that I had all the pieces of the puzzle. 32 00:01:43,533 --> 00:01:47,900 Officially, 2019 retired from the U.S. 33 00:01:47,900 --> 00:01:54,466 Department of Agriculture and went full time into agriculture. 34 00:01:54,466 --> 00:01:56,900 Narr: Putting together that puzzle wasn't easy. 35 00:01:56,900 --> 00:01:59,000 He had to find the right land 36 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:02,666 and he had to negotiate some deals to get what he wanted. 37 00:02:02,666 --> 00:02:05,133 That included an important question 38 00:02:05,133 --> 00:02:08,900 for his wife, Maxine, on their first date. 39 00:02:08,900 --> 00:02:11,466 Sam: Do you think you could see yourself 40 00:02:11,466 --> 00:02:14,833 being married to a farmer if everything worked out? 41 00:02:14,833 --> 00:02:17,733 She said, Yeah, I can see that. 42 00:02:17,733 --> 00:02:20,166 That was 43 years ago. 43 00:02:20,166 --> 00:02:22,366 Were still together. 44 00:02:22,366 --> 00:02:25,500 Narr: Sam and Maxine made several attempts at farming. 45 00:02:25,733 --> 00:02:28,100 2002 was the date 46 00:02:28,100 --> 00:02:31,933 when they finally decided on their ideal product. 47 00:02:31,933 --> 00:02:34,966 Sam: Dates are a very difficult thing to grow. 48 00:02:34,966 --> 00:02:36,366 You have to be patient, 49 00:02:36,366 --> 00:02:40,300 and it helps to know that it's going to be 20 years. 50 00:02:40,533 --> 00:02:42,933 Narr: Mesh bags protect the ripening dates 51 00:02:42,933 --> 00:02:45,400 from birds and insects. 52 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:48,666 No pests mean no pesticides. 53 00:02:48,666 --> 00:02:51,233 Sam: Dates are harvested by hand. 54 00:02:51,233 --> 00:02:56,000 Everything with a date tree by -- in the field, is by hand. 55 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:59,733 Once it goes into the packers, the packers are able to use 56 00:02:59,733 --> 00:03:02,733 the latest technology. Within the fields 57 00:03:02,733 --> 00:03:08,933 until it gets to the packer dates are still all by hand. 58 00:03:08,933 --> 00:03:10,766 Narr: Of the seven varieties 59 00:03:10,766 --> 00:03:14,533 of dates he grows, Cobb has a definite favorite. 60 00:03:14,533 --> 00:03:17,933 His own variety. Black gold. 61 00:03:17,933 --> 00:03:18,400 Sam: Black gold. 62 00:03:18,900 --> 00:03:20,633 We found this date on the side of the road. 63 00:03:20,633 --> 00:03:22,766 It was just a piece of garbage tree. 64 00:03:22,766 --> 00:03:26,100 And then about three or four years in, it bloomed. 65 00:03:26,100 --> 00:03:29,633 I tasted it and my eyes are open and I said, This is good. 66 00:03:29,866 --> 00:03:31,566 I could sell this. 67 00:03:31,566 --> 00:03:35,700 Narr: Black gold dates have a flavor that's hard to identify 68 00:03:35,700 --> 00:03:36,800 even for Cobb. 69 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:40,400 Sam: Once it mellows, it begins to taste kinda caramely 70 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:42,100 a hint of chocolate. 71 00:03:42,100 --> 00:03:45,033 The third flavor is a mystery flavor, which, 72 00:03:45,033 --> 00:03:49,433 to this day, in 20 years, no one can agree 73 00:03:49,633 --> 00:03:50,966 what it tastes like. 74 00:03:50,966 --> 00:03:52,666 And one lady, she cut it short, 75 00:03:52,666 --> 00:03:55,566 “That third flavor is sassy. 76 00:03:55,566 --> 00:03:58,300 This date tastes sassy” 77 00:03:58,300 --> 00:03:59,933 Narr: Cobb found his dream date. 78 00:03:59,933 --> 00:04:03,400 Now he has a bigger dream for his farm. 79 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:07,066 Sam: I hope to hand it off to my children to keep in business. 80 00:04:07,300 --> 00:04:10,833 But my biggest dream is for my grandchildren 81 00:04:10,833 --> 00:04:13,566 to go and study agriculture 82 00:04:13,566 --> 00:04:18,233 or science, engineering, law, 83 00:04:18,233 --> 00:04:21,400 accounting, not to go and work for someone else, 84 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:25,233 but to come and work and improve the family business. 85 00:04:25,233 --> 00:04:26,433 That's my dream. 86 00:04:26,433 --> 00:04:30,266 Narr: Sam Cobb doesn't take success for granted. 87 00:04:30,266 --> 00:04:35,633 Sam: The saying says, luck favors the prepared. 88 00:04:35,633 --> 00:04:40,933 So if you're prepared, when luck happens, you will be lucky. 89 00:04:40,933 --> 00:04:41,166 You know, 90 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:44,333 I've been preparing since I was three years old. 91 00:04:44,333 --> 00:04:47,633 I'm doing my part in the world and I'm 92 00:04:47,633 --> 00:04:51,533 leaving my mark in agriculture.