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Snapshot: Pea Farming in California, 1936-1939

15 photos

The pea fields of the California coast

Pea harvest. Large-scale industrialized agriculture on Sinclair Ranch. Imperial Valley, California

End of the day. Near Calipatria, California. Pea pickers

Pickers coming into the weigh master. Pea field near Calipatria, California

Row boss. Formerly a pea picker. Near Calipatria, California

Migrant pea pickers from many states line up with their filled hampers on the edge of the field. They wait their turn for weighing. Near Westley, California

Migrant pea pickers from many states line up with their filled hampers on the edge of the field. They wait their turn for weighing. Near Westley, California

Picker carrying peas to the weighmaster. Near Santa Clara, California

Drought refugees from Oklahoma at work in the pea fields near Nipomo, California

Harvesting peas requires large crews of migratory labor. Nipomo, California

Pea harvest. Family at work. Nipomo, California

Migratory workers harvesting peas near Nipomo, California

Pea picker carrying a hamper of peas to the weighmaster. Nipomo, California

Picking peas near Nipomo, California. Wages: twenty-two cents a hamper

Large-scale industrialized agriculture. Calipatria, Imperial Valley, California. Migratory workers packing peas for market on edge of pea field. This is an attempt to market a field pack, in contrast to usual pack in shed