Working the Farms

Children on the Move

Migrant farm children grow up quickly. A migrant is someone who moves from one place to another. Many migrant children work beside their parents in the fields when they are as young as 7 years old. By the time they are 13 or 14, they are often full-time workers.

The children help make money for their families. The work they do is important, because farm workers put food on America's tables. But it is not an easy life.

Migrant workers mainly pick fruits and vegetables. They also plant crops and work in packing houses, where fruits and vegetables are put into cans and jars.

When fruits and vegetables get ripe, they must be picked off the plants. Many of the plants grow low to the ground. So the workers have to kneel and crouch to reach the fruits and vegetables. They do this kind of work all day in the hot sun or in the rain. They also carry heavy baskets filled with fruits and vegetables. 

Often, these workers start working in the early spring in the southern part of the country, in places such as Florida and Texas. During summer and fall, the migrant workers gradually move north because different plants ripen in different places at different times. They often finish the year in northern states such as Oregon, Montana, and Connecticut. California is one of the busiest places for migrant workers. Its warm climate allows many fruits and vegetables to grow there.

With all the moving around, it's hard for migrant children to keep up with their schoolwork. Sometimes, parents want the kids working in the fields instead of going to school. The family makes more money if everyone, including the children, helps with the work. But migrant parents want their children to get an education, too. They know that their children need an education to get better jobs as adults.

Many migrant children do not live in a house or apartment. They live in temporary cabins near the farm fields. 

No one knows exactly how many migrants work on American farms. The number of migrants probably ranges from almost 1 million to 5 million. One expert estimated that 400,000 children travel with migrant families.

Though living and working conditions are far from perfect, things have gotten better for many migrant children. The federal government has started special programs to improve their education, health care, and housing. California runs housing centers for migrant families. A few migrants have even bought houses or mobile homes in southern states. They still travel a lot, but now some of them have a place to call home.

Laws protect young children from dangerous work such as driving tractors, climbing on ladders, and working with insect sprays. In some places, children under 12 years old are now forbidden from farm work. But many of these laws are hard to enforce. Education is the key for a brighter future. With better schooling, migrant children can have more hope that this will come true.