I'm 57 and worked tobacco fields when I was 12 along with most of the other kids where I live. Only migrant workers do that work now and it's been that way over 30 years.
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Isn’t that amazing Wes? All of the kids where I grew up worked in the fields in the summer. My siblings worked in the fruit orchards. It’s what you did.
aug 15, 2025, 12:31 pm • 1 0 • view
I don’t remember questioning working. It was a given that when you reached a certain age you were working. We had 10 times the amount of farmers in the 1970s as we do now. I think only two people in our county farm tobacco now. We lease our land to one of them.
aug 15, 2025, 12:40 pm • 1 0 • view
Yep, yep, yep 👊🏻
aug 15, 2025, 1:11 pm • 1 0 • view
My late husband's aunt and uncle had a tobacco farm in Western Mass. Jim worked there summers in h.s. and college. In the late 60's they converted the farm to a golf course. Still hard work, but not as grueling as tobacco farming!
aug 15, 2025, 2:26 am • 10 1 • view
Thanks for sharing Maureen. Hard work huh 👊🏻
aug 15, 2025, 12:32 pm • 2 0 • view
That's for sure. I'd get tired just hearing about it!
aug 15, 2025, 5:07 pm • 2 0 • view
That’s a big shift over the years. It really shows how much the labor landscape has changed, especially in agriculture. Those early experiences must have taught you a lot about hard work.
aug 15, 2025, 12:56 pm • 2 0 • view
It sure is a big shift. It was ‘expected’ that everyone worked in the fields and it taught me you go to work no matter what. I’m back in that mindset now and could have taken this week off with pay, but I wanted to work. Have a great day Susan
aug 15, 2025, 12:34 pm • 1 0 • view