The Kaufman Collection consists of: Daryl Morrison's taped interviews with Mary Kaufman (1990-1991) in which the latter discusses her childhood home at Valley Home, her roles as rancher's wife, mother and cannery employee; a "Valley Home Cookbook" with historical notes about the settlement and its inhabitants; and, a few clippings and photographs of the Valley Home area.

Mary Kaufman (b. 1899) is the daughter of Austrian immigrant Frederick Schuller (b. 1866) and Rose Schmidt. Schuller first farmed in Ohio, then came to California (1907), where he bought fifty acres of land in Talheim, Stanislaus County. Due to World War I era anti-German feeling, this community soon changed its name to Valley Home. Mary was the second of eight children. She first married Oakdale cattle, sheep and dairyman, John Marconi (1919), and they had one son, also named John (b. 1925), before Marconi died from an accidental gunshot wound (1932), leaving his wife to operate their dairy alone. John Marconi Jr. served in the Navy during World War II. After the War Mary Marconi married Oakdale canner, Kenneth Kaufman (1947). Kaufman's company canned peas, spinach and peaches under the Pacific Pea Packing label. Mary Kaufman worked at the cannery until her retirement.

Collection is open for research.