University of California College of Agriculture Agricultural Experiment Station Berkeley, California SEASONAL LABOR NEEDS FOR CALIFORNIA CROPS SANTA CRUZ COUNTY Progress Report No. 44 by R. L. Adams Preliminary -- Subject to Correction October, 1P36 Contribution from the Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics Mimeographed Report No. 53 I (Farm Labor Survey January- June , 1936) Progress Report #44 Seasonal Labor Needs for California Crops Santa Cruz County Scope of Presentation .-- The following considerations govern the presenta- tion 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 distinquished 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, tractor drivers, irrigators, hay balers, threshernen, 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 oroduction of California's many crops. Brief Description of the Area. Under Review .-- Santa Cruz County is one of the central coast counties of California. Its northern boundary lies about thirty miles southeast of San Francisco. On the north it is bounded by San Mateo County, and on the south by Monterey County, from which it is separated by the Pajaro River. The eastern boundary is the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains which divide it from Santa Clara County. On the west it is bounded for its full length by the shores of the Pacific Ocean and Monterey Bay. There are several different farming areas. The most highly developed agri- cultural region is in the Pajaro Valley in the southern end of the county. This is a district about 8 miles long, and from 1 to 2 miles wide, opening upon the ocean on the west and includes that portion of the valley north of the Pajaro River. It surrounds the city of Watsonville and is devoted largely to the production of apples, lettuce, sugar beets, and other crops. Another area lies along the coast from Santa Cruz to a short distance north of Davenport. This is a narrow strip of land about 15 miles long and varying in width up to about one-half mile, directly bordering the ocean, and used almost wholly for artichokes and Brussels sprouts. A third district is located in the high rolling country, generally known as the "Skylend District" in the eastern portion and is mostly used for pears and prunes, and a few cherries and plums. It is irregular in shape and extends for several miles in length. 2. Much of the rolling land, particularly in the southern part, is used for orchards, berries, and vegetables, and there are also many smaller areas of good farm land along several of the smaller streams, as at Soquel where most of the cherries and plums are grown. Hay and grain, and peas are raised near the coast on the rolling land in the San Andreas district west of Watsonville. A large part of the county is rough and mountainous and covered by forests of pine and redwood. The county contains a total of 278,400 acres, of which 58,215 are classed as "crop land" by the 1935 Census. This crop land is further classified as follows by the census 5 Acreage Crop land harvested in 1934 41,995 Crop failure 502 Crop land idle or fallow 3,616 Plowable pasture 12,102 Total 50,215 Crop acreages are estimated to be about as follows: Acreage Field crops 11,069 Vegetable crops 14,719 Orchards (bearing) 17,563 Berries ^25 Total 43,776 The farming area in the Pajaro Valley is practically all below 100 feet in elevation. The coastal strip from Santa Cruz to Davenport is mostly from 100 to 200 feet above sea level, and the "Skyland District" farms are from 1,500 to 2,000 feet in elevation. Farming is done on much of the rolling land, especially in the southern part of the county, up to 300 feet or more above the sea. A variety of soils is represented of several different series. Most of them are of the lighter textures, ranging from sands to sandy loams and loams, although a considerable area of clay loam adobe occurs in portions of the Pajaro Valley. They are generally 6 feet or more in depth. Crops, Acreages, and Production .-- The basis used in calculating occasional or seasonal need for labor in addition to that furnished by farm operators and regularly employed workers appears as table 1. TABLE 1 Basis for Calculating Seasonal Labor --Requirements — Santa Cruz Ceunty Crops Acreage Production Field crops:* Alfalfa 151 729 tons Hay, other than alfalfa 8,114 11,121 tons Barley 532 10,160 bushels Wheat 63 860 bushels Oats 644 12,127 bushels Corn, for grain 429 9,515 bushels Corn, other 180 Sugar beets 390 6,296 tons (average 16.1 ton) Table continued on next page. 3. Table 1 continued. CroDs Acreage Production Field crops (continued) Potatoes, Irish 1" Garlic Hops Vegetable crops: Artichokes Brussels sprouts Lettuce Peas Tomatoes Fruit crops: Apples Apricots Cherries, mostly shipcing Grapes, wine varieties Peaches, freestone Pears Prunes Table grapes Walnuts Strawberries Bush berries 326 200 40 1,500 1,000 10,000 (1,000 market (219 canning 1,000 (330 canning (660 shipping 11,773 1,355 395 1,183 110 1,165 1,348 l| 128 106 205 (bearing) 175 23,812 bushels = 44,650 boxes 13,000 sacks 160 tons = 40 tons dried 150,000 boxes 2,000 tons * 160,000 drums of 25 pounds each 1,500,000 crates 60,000 hampers 135,374 pounds 1,650 tons 2,640 tons 4,400,000 boxes 700 tons 200 tons VJ i. \J > November 11 per cent of crop December -- 2 per cent of crop (for ?n Have ^ Da o c f rr» f"i v»l/" cj + 1 rcao \ ujoL"a c L / n uts x rig, flnril -- 75 npr cent of acreage May — 25 per cent of acreage Picking- May Peas (canning) Harvesting with viner-- 75 per cent by seasonal workers May — 75 per cent of crop June — 25 per cent of crop j. omauoes it dnsp xan u ing in dcus April — 50 per cent of job (allow 25 per cent extra p X cul IS/ Transplanting to field May -- one-half of acreage Tnrvo nnp — Viol f r\f ft T* P a £*" p Replanting May -- 50 per cent of job June — 50 per cent of job Hoeing May -- one-third of acreage June -- one-third of acreage July -- one-third of acreage Picking for shipping August -- 3 per cent of crop September -- 39 per cent of crop f ov» _ . no y p ki+ c\-f f*y» on Picking for cannery September -- 33 per cent of crop October -- 66 per cent of crop Orchard crops: Apples Pruning uecemuer — - onc-iiuru u± ei^r ett^c January -- one- third of acreage February -- one-sixth of acreage March -- one-sixth of acreage Brush disposal uecemoer — — one-1-n.irQ oi t±v>r rvdgc January -- one-third of acreage February -- one-sixth of acreage March -- one- sixth of acreage Spraying -- 50 per cent by seasonal workers February -- one-half of acreage March -- one-half of acreage April -- all acreage Table continued on next page. i 7. Table 2 continued. Crop Operation Time of need Orchard crops: Apples (contd. ) Spraying (contd.) May -- two-thirds of acreage June -- two-thirds of acreage July — two-thirds of acreage > 1 warn >i v*i wi i m .T ininning May — one-T-niirQ oi onryc-i ouruno of acreage June — two-thirds of three-fourths of acreage ricking August — 15 per cent of crop September -- 40 per cent of crop October -- 40 per cent of crop November -- 5 per cent of crop Apricots Pruning -- 50 per cent by seasonal workers November -- 40 per cent of acreage December -- 40 per cent of acreage January -- 20 per cent of acreags Thinning* April -- one-third of acreage May -- tv/o-thirds of acreage Picking July -- two-thirds of crop August -- one-third of crop 1/Uxx.ing i or arying (90 per cent of crop) juxy — xwo — inirus oi per uciil of crop August -- one-third of 90 per cent of crop Other labor in dry yard July -- one-half of one-seventh of total cutting labor August -- one-half of one-seventh of total cutting labor Cherries Picking May 22-31 10 per cent of crop June 1-30 -- 80 per cent of crop July 1-15 -- 10 per cent of crop Grapes (wine varieties) Picking -- 75 per cent by seasonal workers October — all of crop Grapes (table varieties) -- use of seasonal labor inconsequential and hence ignored. Peaches -- use of seasonal labor inconsequential and hence ignored. Pears Pruning — November - - 20 per cent of acreage. 50 per cent by December - - 30 per cent of acreage seasonal workers January -- 30 per cent of acreage February - - 20 per cent of acreage Table continued on next page. 8. Table 2 continued. Crop Orchard crops: Pears (contd.) Prunes Operation Spraying — 50 per cent by seasonal workers Picking Pruning -- 50 per cent by seasonal 'workers Picking Time of need February — one-half of acreage March -- one-half of acreage April — all acreage May -- two-thirds of acreage June -- two-thirds of acreage July — two-thirds of acreage August — 50 per cent of crop September 50 per cent of croD November — 20 per cent of acreage December 30 per cent of acreage January — 30 per cent of acreage February — 20 per cent of acreage September -- all acreage Walnuts -- use of seasonal lacor inconsequential and hence ignored. Bush berries (Blackberries , youngberries, and loganberries ) Strawberries Picking Picking Hay 15-30 --10 ner cent of crop June -- 30 ner cent of crop July — 35 per cent of crop August — 10 per cent of cror September — 8 per cent of crop October — 5 per cent of cror November -- 2 per cent of crop May — 40 per cent of crop June -- 25 Der cent of crop July -- 10 per cent of crop August -- 15 per cent of crop * Very little thinning done in 1935. Findings of Seasonal Labor Needs .-- Details and summaries of seasonal labor requirements of Santa Cruz County agriculture are presented as table 3. The "size of job" are figures drawn from table 1 in terms of either acreage or output in tons, crates, boxes, or whatever unit is commonly used. The "output ner man-day" is an average figure for the entire acreage or output figured in packsd crates, hampers, or boxes (in case of fruits and vegetables). If the work is of a nature that requires a crew, different members of which perform different tasks (such as cutting, trimming, loading, and hauling cauliflower; trimming and crating celery, etc.), then the average shown is osr man based on the entire crow. Length of day is 9 hours, November to February; 10 hours, March to October, unless otherwise stated. Wide variations in output occur between farm and farm, field and field, and season and season, because of differences in soil type*, climatic conditions, weeds, yields, and other factors influencing the amount of work that a laborer can perform in a given day. Moreover, the basis of output is a mature experienced male worker, without reference to use of women, children, and more or less inexperienced help that is sometimes used in connection with certain of the tasks requiring use of seasonal workers. The column headed "available days" reflects (a) limitations set from the period within which the work must be performed because of the nature 9. of the task, such as transplanting, thinning, weeding, and cutting, and (b) avail- able days as determined by weather conditions, inclement weather reducing the number of days when a required task can be nerformed. The "required number of individuals" is given in terms of workers as noted above in connection with "output rer man-day." It is probable that the estimated number of workers required, as recorded in table 3, will often be too low, for the reason that "peaks" frequently occur, during which an unusually large proportion of the job is done in a very short period. This would naturally require a much greater number of workers than when the work is spread over a longer period, even though the total amount of labor (in man-days) remains the same. 4 Month January February- March TABLE 3 Seasonal Labor Needs -- Santa Cruz County — by Months and Tasks Crop and task Brussels sprouts: Picking Garlic: Flanting Apples: Pruning Brush disposal Apricots: Pruning Pears: Pruning Prunes: Pruning Totals Sugar beets: Thinning Lettuce: Thinning Brussels sprouts: Picking Apples: Pruning Brush disposal Spraying Pears: Pruning Spraying Prunes: Pruning Totals Sugar beets: Thinning Boeing Potatoes: Hoeing Hops: Pruning Lettuce: Thinning Hoeing Cutting Tomatoes: Transplanting in beds Brussels sprouts: Picking Apples: Pruning Brush disposal Spraying Pears: Spaying Totals Size of task 1,200,000 pounds 67 acres 3,924 acres 3,924 acres 136 acres "f" 175 acres •+ 150 acres -f 130 acres 1,500 acres 32,000 drums = 800,000 pounds 1,962 acres 1,962 acres 2,943 acres -t 117 acres -f 291 acres + 100 acres-f 130 acres 130 acres 163 acres 20 acres -f 1,900 acres 1,600 acres 350 crates 750,000 plants 400,000 pounds 1,962 acres 1,962 acres 2,943 acresT 291 acres t Output per man-day 450 pounds 0.16 acre 10 trees =0.2 acre 2 acres 20 trees = 0.2 acre 15 trees = 0.17 acre 0.25 acre 0.4 acre 0.5 acre 450 pounds 10 trees = 0.2 acre 2 acres 1.5 acres 15 trees = 0.17 acre 1.5 acres 0.25 acre 0.4 acre 1 acre 1 acre 0.17 acre 0.5 acre 1 acre 30 packed crates 5,000 plants 450 pounds 10 trees =0.2 acre 2 acres 1.5 acres 1.5 acres Required man-days 2,666 402 19,620 1,962 677 1,050 600 26,977 325 3,200 1,777 9,810 981 1,962 699 194 400 19,348 325 130 163 120 3,800 1,600 11 150 888 9,810 981 1,962 194 20.134 Available days 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 1 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 Required number of v/orkers* 166 25 1,226 123 43 65 38 1,686 man-months 17 168 94 516 52 103 37 11 21 1,008 man-months 17 7 9 6 200 84 11 8 47 516 52 103 11 (for 1 day) 1.060 man-months Table continued on next page • .' . , 1T> : TO -fLeea - C*S scx,e Table a co iimuea. Required Available Required number Month Crop and task Size of task Output per man-day man- days days of workers* April Sugar beets: Thinning 130 acres u acre ?2 15 Hoeing xou acres 1 Sfl 22 c Q Lettuce: Thinning ~\ O r> n v.rt rt 1 , a on 109 Hoeing 1,900 acres 1 acre i , yuu pp Cutting 225,000 crates 30 packed crates 7 , 500 Tomatoes: Transplanting in beds 7bu,00u plants j,000 plants PP 7 1 T Pees: Hoeing 750 acres 1.0 acre /bu oo tS& Potatoes (early): Picking up ( from 15th and putting in boxes 25,086 boxes -J- 120 boxes 210 11 19 to "30th) Apples: Spraying b ,oo / acres T 1.5 acres pp 180 (from 15th Apricots: Thinning^ 86 acres 0.25 acre li 31 to 30th) Pears: Spraying Totals boo acres / 1.5 acre s PP 18 i r npp PP 82C mfi n-monT May Sugar beets: Hoeing 130 acres 1 acre i jU U Lettuce: Thinning 1,500 acres C .5 acre p enn P^ 104 Hoeing T OO/^ rt rt M rt rt 1 ,<£(JU acres 1 acre i onn i , cuu ps; *x (J Cutting 285,000 crates 30 packed crates y , buu pc; cb Tomatoes: Transplanting to fields 500 crates 1 acre bUU Ok Replanting misses 500 crates 4 acres lc;D oc cib 5 Hoeing 333 crates 0.66 acre 500 25 20 Peas (canning): Harvesting with f f nr 1 ^ ds.ys ) viner 124 acres C*iO 1 7 Peas (market): Hoeing 250 acres 1.0 aero p^ 69 i n XVJ f from 19th ^ X A Will -L J Uli to 31st) Picking 55,000 hampers 10 hampers 5 , 500 1U T> Potatoes (early): Digging, picking up, and boxing 5 ,025 boxes T 120 boxes A O '-■ \ ,l i. Will I vll to 31st) 3ftfi acrsfi f h_J \J \J K-Ki 1 \-S t_J f 1.5 acres 259 25 11 17 500 crates 20 crates 875 12 73 (from 15th to 31st) 75,000 crates "f 20 crates 3.750 25 150 ** 46 . 643 25 1,866 man-mo fit hs 1 0 flrrrp 1 ! 150 25 6 1 SOO ap.rp 1 ? "f" 20 acres 75 25 3 t son fittY*? 1 ^ - ^* X j w V \J ClU ICO ( 30 acres 50 18 3 1 500 acrfes *+ J. J \J 'w/ Vr vj* Vi 1 10 acres 150 18 8 40 acres 1" -- ft 135 (of 5 hrs.) 25 6 12 acres 0.4 acre 30 3 10 (for 3 days) 47 acres 1 acre 47 5 10 (for 5 days) 1 000 acres 0.5 acre 2,000 25 80 1 300 acres 1 acre 1,300 25 52 180 000 crates 30 packed crates 6 ,000 25 240 42 acres f 0.5 acre 84 5 17 (for 5 days) 500 acres 1 acre 500 25 20 500 acres 4 acres 125 25 5 333 acres 0.66 acre 500 25 20 X • «J CLUI C 25 105 D , OOO dCicS O 17 fir* vp U«l / CIO X c 35 6 20 1 765 (from 1st to 21st) 1 AO t nn c? P00 nnnnHs 1 , 600 25 64 II 776 acres 1.5 acres 518 25 11 52,500 crates 20 crates 2,625 25 105 46,875 crates f 20 crates 2.344 25 94 ** 56.165 25 2.247 man-months 500 acres "f" 10 acres 50 8 6 (from 1st to 10th) 500 acres "t 20 acres 25 8 3 (from 1st to 10th) Table continued on next page, ro Table 5 continued. 1 Required Available Required number Month Crop and task Size of task Output per man- day man- days days of workers* J uiy x ^ i rom lsi ^ c onx.a . / Juu auTco / T A i ^ ^OO o r+ y*q o T + n T St n ^ Lv 1 J Oil/ T 1 y» 7 mm t Ki rr 1 1 ximiix rig X»J CtO I Co &v *^ ^ r rnrn let + #" ( r "^O ^ UI O 111 b*/ o (i rom x o l- to 5th) Sugar beets: Hoeing 12 acres 1 acre 12 12 -i X aoo a a t*p q 0 S p fyp i a on CO AP 1 acre ± , u^u CD oy Hutt i riff "^O f» A ft m> + o o \J jja.uis.cu. alcb ft ^nn PA PSO Tomatoes: Hoeing 333 acres 0.66 acre 500 26 20 Ancles: Soravinc 3 92^ acres J- * O '■ - O . O 2 , 616 26 mi RP [VwMi 7t h OC \ I X Ulu run oO ijiSl/ J Anri ^nt^ • Pif^Virtcr X X v U Uo i 1 X OAXilg ! 0 O 0 nAtttuI o 1 f uvU r' u U liu o flntt i riff f nr rlyiri no- uuli/X life? 1 UI UI j APO tnno OUt COUiiGb 1 H < c Ot Hoy rl "fir v.a v»H 1 ahni* IDC 10 y Cherries: Picking 20 tons 200 pounds 200 13 16 f f rom 1 st to 15th) Pears: Spraying 388 acres 1.5 acres 260 26 10 Bush berries: Picking 61,250 crates 20 crates 3,063 26 114 Strawberries: Picking 20 crates 1 , 300 26 sn qq Totals 19 . 720 26 7^.0 ma ri _ mfin 1" H*5 August Hay: Baling 10.000 tons 5 tons f npr ~i 7i hou** Ha v } ? nnn PS ftO (of 13 hr"?^ CtT*r 1 n : Thrpu J. I its tnr* 1 ? 350 25 14 frft rl i f 1 * Pul 1 1 np finH thrown rtcr i n piles 100 acres 1 acre 100 10 10 (for 10 days ) bao jsx rig in q & f*VQ Pfi 1 fin + one; ? i Sn c , 1 JO X*x 1 50 X \J ( for 1 A ftO tnnq T L/X J XXIg XII X\XXIlO P POO nnundq 57 14 X 5 f for 1 4 \ X *J X X ^ ajc iiui/Ci i iixiirixixg X , \3\J\J cLUI Co W • u - ^ I c P fiOP PS J. U*i Hoei ng i ,uuu acres 1 acre JL , UUU /in Cutting 120,000 crates 30 packed crates 4,000 25 160 Tomatoes: Picking for shipping 1,030 tons 1,800 pounds 1,145 25 46 Picking for cannery 550 tons 2,500 pounds 440 25 18 Apples: Picking 1,760,000 boxes 60 boxes 29 , 333 25 1,173 Pears: Picking 1,250 tons 1 ton 1,250 25 50 Prunes: Picking up 300 tons 1,400 pounds 429 25 18 Totals 43,797 25 1,752 man-months Table continued on next page- 4 Table 3 co ntinued . Required Available Required number Month Crop and task Size of task Output per man-day man- days days of workers* October Sugar beets: Topping and loading 2,100 tons 6 tons 350 22 16 Lettuce: Hoeing l r 300 acres 1 acre 1,300 22 59 Cutting 150,000 crates 30 packed crates 5,000 22 228 Tomatoes: Picking for shipping 1,530 tons 1,800 pounds 1,700 22 77 Picking for cannery 1,100 tons 2,500 pounds 880 2.2 40 Brussels sprouts: Picking 200,000 pounds 450 pounds AAA 21 Apples: Picking 1,760,000 boxes 60 boxes oo Kit (from 15th Grapes: Picking 900 tons -f 1 ton yuu 11 82 to 31st) 1 , 814 man-months November Totals , „ Sugar beets: Topping and loading mm — -- — — Garlic: Planting 67 acres 0.17 acre 400 24 17 (for 2 Hops: Brush burning 40 acres 0.5 acre 80 12 7 weeks) Lettuce: Cutting 165,000 crates 30 packed crates 5,500 24 230 Brussels sprouts: Picking 24,000 drums = 450 pounds 1,333 24 56 600,000 pounds ( f Tnm 1 fit. 1 1 i Will _L Apples: Picking 220,000 boxes 60 boxes 3,666 6 271 acres ' to 7th) Apricots: Pruning 0.2 acre 1 ,355 57 Pears: Pruning 117 acres 7 0.17 acre 700 24 29 Prunes: Pruning 100 acres''' 0.25 acre 4UU OA 17 Totals lO , HO*i OA 560 man-months December Garlic: Planting 67 acres 0.17 acre 400 18 23 (from 1st Lettuce: Cutting 30,000 crates 30 packed crates 1,000 13 77 to 20th) Brussels sprouts: Picking 800,000 pounds 450 pounds 1,777 18 99 Apples: Pruning 3,924 acres 0.2 acre 19,620 18 1,090 Brush disposal 3,924 acres 2 acres 1,962 18 109 Apricots: Pruning 271 acres * 0.2 acre 1,355 18 76 Pears: Pruning 175 acres * 0.17 acre 1,050 18 59 Prunes: Pruning 150 acres f 0.25 acre 600 18 34 Totals 27.764 18 1.543 man-months On a monthly basis unless otherwise noted. Footnotes continued on next page. tn i HQ ecUaJ. l,8»i.5s: btnyrvs peff rices c*ir.fjufi ■ - ^nSjfj. psofat jobbiufi true ^09 , 0j5j& ' Footnotes continued. f Estimated portion of job done by seasonal workers. f A crew of about 100 men was used for hoeing peas in 1935.