University of California College of Agriculture Agricultural Expariment Station Berkeley, California SEASONAL LABOR NEEDS FOR CALIFORNIA CROFS STANISLAUS COUNTY Progress Report No. 50 by R . L . Adams Preliminary — Subject to Correction March, 1937 ( Contribution from the Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics. Mimeographed Report No. 53 4 (Farm Labor Survey — July-December, 1936) Frogress Report No. 50 Seasonal Labor Needs for California Crops Stanislaus County Scope of Presentation . — The following considerations govern the presentation of this progress report: 1. The data are confined to the area indicated above. 2. The data are confined solely to crops, livestock needs being ignored. 3. The findings apply only to occasional or seasonal labor requirements as distinguished from labor contributed by farm operators and by workers employed on a year-round or regular basis of employment. 4. Attention is concentrated upon workers required for hand tasks -- plant- ing, thinning, weeding, hoeing, and harvesting — without including teamsters, trac- tor drivers, irrigators, and shed packers of vegetables or fruits. 5. The presentation includes the so-called migratory, transient, or roving workers which comprise an important source of help needed in connection with certain tasks and at "peak" times which seasonally arise in connection with many field, truck, and fruit crops commercially produced in California. 6. This report is confined to California's need for seasonal agricultural workers because of the more pressing problems liable to arise in connection there- with. A later study is planned which will deal with other kinds of labor involved in the production of California's many crops. Crops, Acreage, and Production .— The basis used in calculating occasional or seasonal need for labor, in addition to that furnished by farm operators and regular- ly employed xvorkers, appears as table 1. TABLE 1 Basis for Calculating Seasonal Labor Requirements Stanislaus County Crop Acreage* Production Field crops: 67,415 t 322,199 tons 1"( average 4.8 tons per acre) Alfalfa Beans 47,134 f 424,200 cwt. Cotton 730 452 bales jf Flax 1,320 Grain — barley 70, 254 t 1,357,746 bushels t oats 5,271 180,871 bushels wheat 24,796 346,201 bushels Grain hay 21,119t 35,943 tons t Pastured- Ladino clover 9,783 Sudan grass 5,178 native pasture 423,770 Rice 3,904 Silage — corn 5,842 Average 7 tons per acre Sorghums for grain 5.225 f 140,38 5 bushels f Table continued on next page. - « 4 w < Tabic 1 continued. 2. Crop Acreage* Production Sugar beets *R n Vegetable crops: Carrots — fall and winter 100** 27,500 crates Lettuce — fall 500** Average 150 crates per acre Melons — cantaloupes 2,179 326,850 crates honeydews , Pers ians , and casabas 3,598 35,980 tons tt watermelons 1,351 Average 10 tons per acre Onions — intermediate crop 400** 60,000 sacks of 50 pounds each Peas — canning 1,977** 3,954 tons spring tf Average 150 hampers per acre fall *# Average 50 hampers per acre Spinach 1,315** 7,890 tons Sweet potatoes 2,324** 290,500 crates Tomatoes — canning 2,707** 10,828 tons fall market
>
100
100
50
66
100
20 acres
20 acres
30 acres
10 acres
9 tons
6 tons
8 acres
20 acres
6.5 acres
4 tons
Total of
3»5 man-
hours per
acre
Table continued on
next page.
Table 2 continued.
5.
Crop
Beans
( cont . )
Cotton
Operation
Irrigating — 4
times
Piling — 90 per
cent of black-
eye, 10 per
cent of other
varieties
Threshing with
stationary —
90 per cent of
black-eye, 10
per cent of
other varieties
Threshing with
pickup combine
— 10 per cent
of black-eye,
90 per cent of
other varieties
Hauling to town
— 50 per cent
of crop; other
50 per cent
hauled by com-
mercial truciiers
Chopping
Picking
Time of need
Per cent of
work done by
seasonal help
April — all of acreage once
Juno 15-30 — 75 per cent of
acreage
July 1-31 — all of acreage
once, one-half of acreage
twice
August 1-10 — 75 per cent of
acreage
September 15-30 — 25 per cent
of job
October 1-31 — 50 per cont of
job
November 1-15 — 25 per cent
of job
September 15-30 20 per cent
of job
October 1-31 70 per cent of
job
November 1-15 — 10 per cent
of job
September 15-30 — 30 per cont
of acreage
October 1-31 — 60 per cent of
acreage
November 1-15 — 10 per cent
of acreage
September 15-30 — 30 per cent
of acreage
October 1-31 — 60 per cent of
acreage
November 1-15 — 10 per cent
of acreage
May 1-31 50 per cent of
acreage
June 1-30 — 50 per cent of
acreage
itobor 1-31 — 30 per cent of
crop
November 1-30 — 30 por cent
of crop
December 1-31 — 12 per cont
of crop
January 1-31 — 11 per cent of
>
i
i
>
10 per cent
crop
February 1-28
of crop
March 1-15 — 7 per cont of
crop
80
15
75
50
100
100
100
> 100
Output per
man- day
4 acres
(12-hour
day)
2 acres
35 cwt .
(8 -hour
day)
6 acres
375 cwt.
2.5 acres
300 pounds
seed cot-
ton
200 pounds
seed cot-
ton
Tablo continued on next page.
A. ' " £«»a" s i i' j'nilt * !■
tiMi'iii ■■■■ i iwlifcrfi ..it . • mm i
Table 2 continued.
5,
Crop
Operation
Time of need
Per cent of
work done by
seasonal help
Output per
man- day
Flax
Harvesting
Grain —
barley,
oats ,
and
wheat
Grain hay
Rice
Silage
Harvesting with
combine
Picking up and
piling sacks
Watchmen
Mowing
Raking
Shocking
Baling — 50 per
cent of crop
"Swathing" with
push header
Threshing with
pickup combine
Silo filling
40 per cent of
60 per cent of
40 per cent of
Sorghums
for
grain
Cutting by hand
— 10 per cent
of acreage
Threshing with
stationary
thresher — 10
per cent of
crop
Cutting with
combined har-
vester — 90
per cent of
acreage
June 15-30 — 20 per cent of
acreage
July 1-31 — 40 per cent of
acreage
August 1-31 — 40 per cent of
acreage
June 1-30 — 60 per cent of
acreage
July 1-31
acreage
June 1-30
acreage
July 1-31
acreage
June
July
August
May 1-31 — all of acreage
May 1-31 — all of acreage
May 1-31 — all of acreage
June — 50 per cent of job
July — 50 per cent of job
Ootober 1-31 — 60 per cent of
acreage
November 1-20 — 40 per cent
of acreage
October 1-31 — 50 per cent of
acreage
November 1-30 — 50 per cent
of acreage
September 1-30 — 15 per cent
of job
October 1-31 — 75 per cent of
job
November 1-10 — 10 per cent
of job
September 15-30 — 20 per cent
of job
October 1-31 — 75 per cent of
job
November 1-15 — 5 per cent of
job y
October 1-31 — 60 per cent of
job
November 1-30 — 40 per cent
of job
October 1-31 — 75 per cent of
job
November 1-15 — 25 per ce
of job
nt J
80
80
100
50
100
50
40
25*
66
25
50
5 acres
8 acres
500 sacks
8 acres
16 acres
20 acres
4 tons
15 acres
4 acres
5 tons
0.75 acre
50 sacks
5 acres
Table continued on
next page.
i
Table 2 continued.
7.
Crop
Operation
Time of need
For cent of
work done by
seasonal holp
Output per
man-day
Vegetablo
crops :
Carrots
Lettuce
Melons
Weeding
Bunching — pul-
ling and tying
Thinning
Cutting
Thinning all
melons
Hooing all melons
— two times
Cultivating all
melons — twice
Irrigating all
melons — three
times
Picking canta-
loupes
August 20-31 ~ 20 per cent of
job
September 1-30 — 65 per cent
of job
October 1-31 — 10 per cent of
job
November 1-15 — 5 por cent of
job
November 15-30 — 8 per cent
of crop
December 1-31 — 56 per oent
of crop
January 1-31 — 31 per cent of
crop
February 1-28 -- 5 per cent of
crop ^
August — 50 por cent of job
September — 50 por cent of
job J
November 1-30 — 60 por cent
of crop
December 1-31 — 40 per cent
of crop
January — inconsequential amount
May 1-31 — 95 per cent of
acreage
Juno 1-30 — 5 per cent of
acroago
April 15-30 — 15 por cent of
job
May 1-31 — 45 per cent of job
Juno 1-30 — 40 per cont of
job
April 15-30 — one-third of
job
May 1-31 — two-thirds of job
May 1-31 — 50 per cont of job
June 1-30 — 50 per cent of
job
July 10-31 — 63 per cont of
crop
August 1-31 — 27 por cent of
crop
September 1-30 — 6 per cont
of crop
October 1-15 — 4 per cent of
crop
> 100
) 100
100
100
100
> 100
90
90
S ioo
Total of
33 hours
per acre
12 crates
(of 6
dozon
bunches)
0.5 acre
30 crates
(packed
crates)
10 acres
5 acres
10 acres
(1 man,
2 horses)
Requires 4
men to 30
acros
30 crates
(of 68
pounds)
Table continued on next page.
«
I
Tablo 2 continued.
3.
Crop
Operation
Time of need
Per cent of
work done by
s easonal help
Output per
man-day
Melons
(cont.)
Picking honcydews
Hauling honeydews
Ficking Persians
Hauling Persians
Picking casabas
Hauling casabas
Ficking water-
melons
July 24-31 -- 2 per cent of
crop
August 1-31 — 80 per cent of
crop K
Soptembor 1-30 — 16 per cent
of crop
October 1-15 — 2 per cent of
crop
July 24-31 -- 2 per cent of
crop
August 1-31 — 80 per cent of
crop
September 1-30 — 16 per cent
of crop
Octobor 1-15 — 2 per cent of
crop
August 1-31 — 41 por cent of
crop
Soptembor 1-3Q -- 43 per cent
of crop
October 1-31 — 16 por cent of
crop
August 1-31 — 41 por cent of
crop
September 1-30 -- 43 per cent I
of crop
October 1-31 — 16 per cent of
crop
August 1-31 — 27 per cent of
crop
September 1-30 — 16 per cent
of crop
October 1-31 — 43 per cent of
crop
November 1-30 — 14 per cent
of crop ^
August 1-31 — 27 per cent of
crop
September 1-30 — 16 per cent
of crop
Octobor 1-31 — 43 per cent of
crop
November 1-30 — 14 per cent
of crop
July 1-31 — 20 por cent of
crop
August 1-31 -- 70 per cent of
crop
September 1-30 — 10 per cent
of crop
y
>
100
75
100
75
100
75
100
Zh tons
5 tons
3-g- tons
5 tons
3-g- tons
5 tons
25 tons
Table continuod on next page.
I J . :
i i ! ;
i ! ■ • '
' t ■ > -
I *
*
Table 2 continued.
9.
Crop
Operation
Timo of ncod
Per cent of
work done by
seasonal help
Output per
ma n- day
Melons
(cont . )
Onions
Peas mm
canning
market
Spinach
— can-
ning
Sweet
potatoes
Hauling water-
melons
Sotting plants by
hand
Weeding — twice
Fulling, clipping
tops and roots,
and sacking
Harvesting with
vincrs
Hoeing
Picking — spring
crop (85 per
cent of total)
fall crop (15
per cent of
total)
Harvesting —
picking up and
crat ing
Tl anting
Harvesting —
picking up and
piling
July 1-31 -- 20 per cont of
crop
August 1-31 — 70 per cont of
crop
September 1-30 — 10 per cont
of crop
December 1-31 — two-thirds of
acroago
January 1-15 — one-third of
acreage
February — all of acreage
March 25-31 — 5 per cent of
crop
April 1-30 -- 30 per cent of
crop
May 1-31 — 30 per cent of
crop
June 1-30 — 35 por cent of
crop
April 25-30 — 25 per cent of
crop
May 1-15 — 75 por cent of
crop
February 1-28 — 50 por cent
of job
March 1-31 — 50 per cont of
job
April 1-30 -- two-thirds of
job
May 1-15 — ono-third of job
October 15-31 — 50 per cent
of job
November 1-15 — 50 por cent
of job
March 20-31 — 50 per cent of"
crop
April 1-20 — 50 per cent of
crop
May 1-31 — all of acroago
Soptcmber 1-30 — one-third of
crop
October 1-31 — ono-third of
crop
November 1-30 — ono-third of
crop j
75
100
100
100
75
100
100
100
100
33
50
8 tons
0.14 aero
Total of (
man- days
por acre
15 cwt.
0.5 acre
Total of
rig man-
days por
aero
10 hampers
8 hampors
2 tons (in
6 hours)
0.6 acre
0.15 acre
Table continued on next page.
Tabic 2 continued.
10
Crop
Tomatoes
— can-
ning
(mostly
pear-
shaped
variety-
Operation
Fruit and
nut crops
Almonds
Apricots
Transplanting in
bods — 1,200
plants per acre,
plus 20 por cent
for replants
Planting in
fields
Hoeing — twice
Picking for can-
ning
Knocking
Hulling
Pruning
Thinning — 25
por cent of
acreage
Fi eking
Cutting for dry-
ing
Other dry-yard
labor
Time of need
Por cent of
work done by
seasonal he lp
February 15-28 — all of Job
April 15-30)
May 1-15 ) with rogular help
May — two-thirds of acreage ^
June — two-thirds of acreage >
July — two-thirds of acreage _J
August 6-31 -- 15 per cent of
crop
September 1-30 — 45 por cent
of crop
October 1-31 — 40 por cent of
crop s
November — inconsequential amount
25 per cent of
— 75 por cent
25 per cent of
- 75 per cent
one-third of
one-third of
August 10-31 -
acreage
September 1-30
of acreage
August 10-31 -
acreage
September 1-30
of acreage
October 1-31 -
acroago
November 1-30
acreage
December 1-31 — onc-thi
acreage
April 15-30 -- 50 per cent of
job
May 1-15 — 50 per cent of job
Juno 15-30 — 50 por cent of
job
July 1-15 — 50 per cent of
job
June 15-30 -- 50 por cent of
job
July 1-15
job
June 15-30 — 50 per cent of
lird of y
80
100
100
50
90
90
50 per cent of
JOD
July 1-15
job
50 per cent of
100
100
90
Output por
man-day
4,000
plants
1.0 acre
1 ton
0.4 acre
400 pounds
(8 hours)
0.25 acre
0.2 acre
1,250
pounds
750 pounds
11 man-
hours per
fresh ton
t
Table continued on next page
;
Table 2 continued.
11.
Crop
Figs
Grapes
Operation
Ticking and pack-
ing for shipping
— Calimyrna and
first crop
Mission
Picking Kadotas
for canning
Picking up for
drying —
Mission and
Calimyrna
Drying and sort-
ing Calimyrnas
Drying and sort-
ing Mission
variety
Pruning —
Thompson seed-
less variety
Tying — Thompson
seedless
Time of need
Per cent of
vrork done by
seasonal holt
July 15-31 — 25 per cent of
job
August 1-31 — 15 per cent of
job
September 1-30 — 55 per cent
of job
October 1-5 — 5 por cent of
job f
August 20-31 — 20 per cent of
job
September 1-30 — 60 per cont
of job
October 1-31 — 20 por cent of
job <
August 15-31 — 25 per cent of
job
September 1-30 — 50 per cent
of job
October 1-15 — 25 per cent of
job
August 15-31 — 25 por cent of
job
September 1-30 — 50 per cent
of job
October 1-15 — 25 per cent of
job >
August 15-31 — 25 per cent of
job
September 1-30 — 50 por cont
of job
October 1-15 — 25 per cont of
job
December 1-31 — 10 per cent
of acreage
January 1-31 — 40 per cent of
acreage
February 1-28 — 40 per cent
of acreage
March 1-15 — 10 per cent of
acreage
December 1-31 — 10 per cent
of acreage
January 1-31 — 40 per cent of
acreage
February 1-28 -- 40 per oent
of acreage
March 1-15 — 10 per cent of
acreage /
)
>
>
100
100
100
90
90
80
80
Output per
man- day
150 pounds
400 pounds
900 pounds
50 hours
por dry
ton
20 hours
per dry
ton
0.25 acre
(= 150
vines)
2.5 acres
Table continued on next page,
*
Table 2 c
ontinued.
12.
Crop
Grapes
(cont . )
Peaches
— all
varie-
ties
Operation
Pruning — other
varieties
Picking table
grapes for ship-
ment — includ-
ing field pack-
ing
Fi eking wine
grapes for ship-
ment
I i eking for win-
eries and dehy-
dratorst" — in-
cluding natural
rais ins
Pruning — all
varieties
Time of need
Per cent of
work done by
seaso nal h eir
10 per cent
December 1-31
of acreage
January 1-31 — 40 per cent of
acreage
February 1-28 — 40 per cent
of acreage
March 1-15 — 10 per cent of
acreage
August 15-31 -- 12 per cent of
job
September 1-30 — 25 per cent
of job
October 1-31 — 30 per cent of
job
November 1-30 — 33 per cent
of job ^
September 1-30 — 24 per cent
of job
October 1-31 — 73 per cent of
job
November 1-30 — 3 per cent of
job ;
September 15-30 — 48 per cent
of crop
October 1-31 — 48 per cent of
crop
November 1-10 — 4 per cent of
crop
December 1-31 — one-third of
acreage
January 1-31 — one-third of
acreage
February 1-28 — one-third of
acreage
Brush largely disked under -- no seasonal labor
Thinning by hand
— all varietie
Ficking and sort-
ing clingstones
>
Cutting for dry-
ing clingstones
Other dry-yard
labor — cling-
stones
May 1-31 --
two-thirds of
acreage
June 1-15 -
- one-third of
acreage
August 1-31
two-thirds of
crop
September 1
-15
— one-third of
crop
August 1-31
two-thirds of
crop
September 1
-15
— one-third of
crop
August 1-31
two-thirds of
crop
September 1
-15
— one-third of
crop
80
100
100
90
90
100
100
100
75
Output per
man- dny
0.66 acre
(300
vines)
20 lugs
(=560
pounds)
100 lugs
(=2,600
pounds)
1.75 tons
0.25 acre
0.2 acre
3,000
pounds
800 pounds
ll|r man-
hours per
fresh ton
t
Table continued on next page,
Table 2 continued.
13.
Per cent of
Crop
Operation
Time of need
work done by
seasonal help
Output per
man- day
Peaches
Ficking for ship-
June 24-30 — 2 per cent of
( cont . )
ment — free-
stones
crop
July 1-31 -- 23 per cent of
crop
/ 100
2,000
August 1-31 -- 67 per cent of
pounds
crop
September 1-30 — 8 per cent
of crop -J
Picking for dry-
August 1-31 -- all of job
100
3,000
ing freestones
pounds
Cutting for dry-
August 1-31 -- all of job
J.00
2,000
ing freestones
pounds
Other dry-yard
August 1-31 — 90 per cent of
ij/o man-
work — free-
job
I 75
r
stones
September 1-7 — 10 per cent
of job
hours per
fresh ton
t
Picking for can-
August 15-31 — all of job
100
3,000
ning freestones
pounds
— mostly Lovell
variety
Walnuts
Harvesting —
knocking off,
August 15-31 — 5 per cent of "*
crop
picking up, and
hulling jf
September 1-30 — 35 per cent
of crop
October 1-31 -- 50 per cent of
crop
November 1-15 — 10 per cent
of crop /
S i oo
/ J. WW
1
POO -nniinHc!
* A large part of the work in silo filling is done by exchange of help be-
tween farmers.
t From Christie, A. W* and L« C. Barnard. The principles and practice of sun-
drying fruit. California Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 388:40-60. 1925.
t Tonnage of natural raisins is small. Only about 2 per cent of Thompson
crop used for this purpose. About 80 per cent of Thompson crop dehydrated.