WINCHESTER (Virginia) STAR

September 2, 2006

Growers, camp prepare for migrant workers to arrive
Smaller apple crop doesn’t necessarily signal fewer helpers

By Sarah A. Reid
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — When William “Mr. Castro” Baker came to the Frederick County Fruit Growers Association’s migrant worker camp more than 40 years ago, it was teeming with life.

More than 900 workers were housed in the barrack-like buildings when Baker, a native Jamaican, started as an apple picker in 1963.

“But we haven’t done that in a long time,” Camp Manager Cindy Burke said as she walked along the barracks, assessing their readiness.

In the next two weeks, Burke expects about 250 contracted foreign workers and some domestic workers to take up residence at the camp as orchardists start the bulk of apple harvesting.

Last year, 282 Jamaicans, 24 Hispanics, and 150 domestic workers lived at the camp. This year, Burke expects the smaller apple crop will keep a few away, but she won’t know until the workers arrive.

“This year, the domestic ones, there probably won’t be as many as usual,” she said, noting she expected 75 to 100 workers, not the 200 that can filter in during a good year.

“We’ve had trouble getting (Hispanics) in,” she said about the contract workers who travel from their home countries. “The ones that were supposed to start in early July didn’t arrive until the end of the month. That is very devastating to a perishable crop.”

Burke said she thinks Hispanic workers were delayed because of border security issues.

Phil Glaize said he’ll employ about 90 mostly Hispanic pickers this year.

“The crew leaders that we use are having a more difficult time finding people to fill their crews,” he said.

Hispanics who are in the United States often have jobs in other industries and some of his potential workforce have picked up jobs rebuilding the Gulf Coast.

One of of his three crew leaders told Glaize he wasn’t going to be able to recruit the number of workers the orchardist needs to pick his 650 acres.

“That does concern me quite a bit,” he said. “I think with the tightening of borders, which we support, it may make it more difficult to find the workers we need.”

Back at the camp, a few men groggily gathered before daylight Friday to eat grits, hard boiled eggs, and coffee in the camp’s mess hall.

Buses and vans driven by orchardists or their hired help would pick up the few workers in town around daybreak, starting what will become a daily ritual that would only be broken by rain or sickness.

Desmond Dryden, a contract worker from Manchester, Jamaica, sat with an older man at one of the tables. Both men were fueling up to pick Golden Delicious apples — if the steady drizzle from Tropical Storm Ernesto let up.

“We’ve got enough work to carry us through,” Dryden said about the season, which lasts an average of 10 weeks.

The money Dryden earns will be used to support his family and his small farm where he grows sweet potatoes, yams, and other crops that he takes to market.

“This only fills a gap,” he said. “...This alone couldn’t carry me through the year.”

This year Bev Byrd, Dryden’s employer, only contracted with 12 Jamaicans, down from 14 last year, Dryden said.

Camp officials have noticed the trend with other orchardists, some of whom expect a smaller harvest from last year with some smaller fruit. Others have simply plowed under their trees or started growing other crops.

“This year some of the growers cut back on some of their employees — some of them cut back on some of the people from Jamaica,” said Baker, a U.S. citizen who now manages the workers at the camp.

“If they don’t come — no problem,” he added. “... They just come here and make fast money so they can go back and buy whatever they need to take care of the land. Some buy a few goats, a few pigs, a cow. Some build houses.”