Down on the farm

[953 nut 60,348]

Farmworker Appreciation Day is celebrated on August 6 annually. This day aims to raise awareness about the importance of the work that people do on the farm. The truth is that farmworkers work even under the hot summer sun to bring in the harvest.

Every year, you can see them as you are driving by the fields. Most of their work only happens during summer, and this means that many of these individuals return to their home country when the season is over. Farmworkers are usually forgotten and this day is special to honor and thank them for all they have done.

California became a major agricultural center after the Civil War in the United States. In the aforementioned state, farm labor was mostly imported from Asia. The immigrant labor force had begun to shift to Mexico by the 1930s. During World War II, due to a labor shortage, the Bracero Program was initiated. This program allowed Mexicans to work temporarily on U.S. farms. It ended in 1964, although Latin American legal and illegal immigrants continue to make up the vast majority of the U.S. agricultural workforce.

 

 

[Beap52 1,479]

My dad was too dadgum tight to hire laborers.  He was feeding three boys in his house so with hoes in hand, before herbicide use was as prevalent as it is today, we hit the corn or soybean rows cutting down unwanted weeds. Cockleburs was our main enemy.  

 

My brother and I got caught in a torrential downpour and water was running over the tops of shoes before we got the the Massy Ferguson 60 and 30 back to the machine shed. 

 

Dad died at age 62, in part, I believe due to using a bare arm mixing chemicals in his privative sprayer.

 

Many of our more physical type of professions have been made safer, in some cases laws, but many in experience and education passed from one generation to another.

 

I like to eat so I am thankful for all food producers.

[953 nut 60,348]

Having been raised on a farm that is still in the family I can appreciate your story. Farming is inherently dangerous but can be a very satisfying way of life. When my wife began meeting my family members she noticed one commonality, most were missing an appendage due to a farm accident. My grandfather started the farm with 100 acres and a team of horses, the fourth generation cousin who now operates the farm has 1,200 acres and all the modern machinery. He and two other multigenerational farmers combine their efforts and equipment farming over 4,000 acres. What took fifty to a hundred workers a few generation ago is now done by these three young men and the occasional hired man.

My first cousin (third generation) and his wife operate the dairy portion of the farm with about 150 milking cows and one employee who operates the milking parlor.

[Mikey the Monkey 701]

Richard, I can’t remember who your cousin is. I think you have told me. As a hoof trimmer I go all over trimming cows feet. I have one farm I go to in Pompey, the smith family on rt 20. They milk with 2 robots. 

[953 nut 60,348]

2 hours ago, Mikey the Monkey said:

Richard, I can’t remember who your cousin is. I think you have told me. As a hoof trimmer I go all over trimming cows feet. I have one farm I go to in Pompey, the smith family on rt 20. They milk with 2 robots. 

My cousin Dan Diamond operates the former Ted Carley farm on Burke Road between Sweet Road and Henneberry Road. He has an alliance with the Palladino brothers where they share equipment and pool their resources.

Much of the grain they harvest goes to a different Smith farm, they are an egg farm in Lafayette.