Folks hang out in Capitola
on a hot summer day,
strawberry ice cream and smoothies
briefly cool the senses.
Further down the coast
Watsonville, strawberry fields
stretching in all directions,
miles and miles of fresas
so delicate as to only be picked by hand.
People… Brown people
their backs bent
pick quickly, row after row
under the scorching sun.
Essential workers
wearing face masks
to keep Covid at bay.
Speed and quantity
reflected in paychecks.
White people don’t apply
for this back breaking
low paying work
done by immigrants
Three days later
California burns.
With fields engulfed in smoke
farm workers bend over
hour after hour
picking and filling boxes.
The harvest season is short
time is of the essence.
Where do all the strawberries come from?
May we remember and offer thanks to those who pick them.
Dancing to the Words 
Sometimes we forget where our food comes from. Nice reminder, Arati. 🙂
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I agree, and you’re welcome. I am glad that this has contributed to folks
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They are deserving of your praise – it’s such hard work. Nice post!
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Thank you and yes, my back ached just watching them, i couldn’t even imagine bending like that for more than a few minutes!
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Glad for the reminder. Thanks.
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Your welcome, I was glad to write it. May you be well!
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hey – me again – but right after I left your blog post – this came up and had to share it:
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Thanks.
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Arati – thanks for the photos and your clever words – such a nice tribute to strawberries
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Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed this post. There was something so startling in the contrast between the beach goers, of whom I was one, and the workers in the field. Such a shocking contrast!
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🙂 shocking contrast is right – and I shared my experience with this post to some of my students –
it really stirred up gratitude inside of me – thx again
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Strawberries are so delicious. I am thankful for their hard work.
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sandy – me too – the photos humbled me – to see the effort that goes into the yield
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I can’t imagine having to bend over all day like that.
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I know!
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Yes, me too, and I long for farmworkers to have proper living wages, working conditions and benefits!
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Amen to that!
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