As we close out today, March 31, I do not want Farmworker Awareness Week to pass without taking a moment to appreciate and thank the people who grow our food. Farmworkers are the backbone of this country. I truly believe that. I want to share my story and why I feel so strongly about the farmworker movement, why it matters to highlight their lives, and why the work of organizations like Student Action with Farmworkers and others across the nation is so important. If you have ever thought about supporting this work, I hope you take a moment to consider it.
I grew up in a farm working world without fully realizing it at the time. My dad worked at a dairy for more than 20 years, and when my mom arrived, she began working there too, caring for baby calves. My dad did everything. He milked cows, cared for older cattle, helped with births, and later moved into crop farming, growing beans, corn, wheat, alfalfa, whatever was needed. I was always there, always around it, living that life on the farm.
I first got involved in farm work when I was 15. I spent a summer weighing alfalfa. I would weigh a sample of it and record the numbers, and send that information along. It was not the hardest job, but it was still hot, sitting in a small room with no air conditioning. That was my introduction.
Later, when I was preparing to go to college, I started working in the fields. I would wake up at 6am in the morning and head out early before the heat got too intense. This was in Idaho, so mornings were the best time to start. No matter the conditions, hot, dry, or wet, the work had to get done.
We did corn topping, removing the top of the corn, what we call la espiga. It was exhausting work. My allergies were so bad that my eyes would swell and water constantly. Sometimes you would get soaked, so you had to bring extra clothes or stay wet the rest of the day. You had to cover yourself completely. I wore glasses, a bandana, and a hat because the corn leaves would scratch your hands and face. At first the plants were small, but then they grew as tall as you, and it became even harder to move through them.
We also cleaned fields, removing rocks so the machines could pass through without damaging the crops. And we worked with beans, which meant bending over all day because the plants are low to the ground. That kind of work stays in your body. Your back feels it, your legs feel it, everything feels it.
There were days when my mom and I would still be out there at 7pm in the evening, working until the sun went down. I would beg her to go home because I was exhausted, and she would say no, we have to finish. To this day, I do not know where she found the strength to keep going. I am deeply grateful for my mom and for all the women I worked alongside. They are some of the strongest people I know.
Farm work is not easy. It is especially not easy for women. You are working in an environment where most supervisors are men. I never had a woman boss. There are moments where women have to deal with comments, jokes, or behavior that is not appropriate, and they still show up and do the work. Then they go home and continue working, cooking, caring for their families, preparing for the next day. It is a level of strength that deserves recognition.
That same summer, I worked in the fields in the morning and then went straight to a restaurant job in the afternoon. I would work from early morning until mid afternoon, then go to my second job until late at night. I was working two jobs, and that is not uncommon. Many farmworkers are doing the same, balancing multiple responsibilities and still showing up every day.
That is why it is so important to highlight these stories. Farmworkers are not just workers. They are people with lives, families, dreams, and goals. This year’s theme focused on sharing those stories, who people are outside of the fields, what they enjoy, and what they hope for in the future.
Farmworkers deserve dignity, just like anyone else. They deserve to be seen, valued, and appreciated. Without them, there would be no food on our tables.
So take a moment to thank a farmworker. Not just this week, but always. Every time you walk into a grocery store, remember that someone planted, cared for, and harvested that food. Someone worked long hours so that it could be there for you.
Do not forget that.
