fotoflarewithclare

By tookie

A Tribute to Farmworkers

I met this man selling his produce at the Crossroads Tuesday Farmers Market located very near our home.  Each tuesday wonderful produce and wares are sold here by a variety of folks...some the actual growers, some the pickers and some hired just to sell.  This man was a picker and seller from a family farm in Wapato Wa.  Without people like him to do the hard labor of not only growing , but picking cherries and other produce we'd be pretty much without foods we've become acustomed too.  Many folks travel up yearly from Mexico to pick fruits and vegetables in the Eastern Wa area.   There are far fewer farm workers traveling to do this work this year out of fear of being treated unfairly or falsely charged with crimes never committed.  Even the owners and growers of the ranches in Eastern Wa. are upset as some crops are going unpicked as not many "natives" here in Wa. will do this type of work.
    Many migrant workers also feel very falsely maligned by the gross names they have been called by our president.....so many choose not to come this year.  If nothing else...it will hit us in our pocketbooks as prices will be higher when crops cannot be fully harvested. 
     We truly owe a huge debt to our Mexican neighbors who have done this backbreaking work over the years to fill our tables with delicious foods.  Song as part of this tribute here sung by Woody Gurthrie  ( one to seriously listen all the way through and try not to let the tears roll considering whats going on today)
  Some back blips begin here

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