back breaking work at 12 yrs.
By bonnie
@bunnybon7 (50973)
Holiday, Florida
April 9, 2022 5:19am CST
So when I was 12 yrs old, my mom and second step dad moved the 3 of us to Michigan for the summer to work for a farmer. My step dad Arlie knew so much about farming that the owner made him the boss. Back then kids were allowed to work and make money too and I was working for my school clothes.
I was obviously a very good worker because the second day of hoeing cucumber plants (very back breaking work) Arlie ended up firing 3 adults. He said " That 12 year old girl passed you guys up several times today." pointing at me. I was a bit embarrassed 
but also very proud of myself. I worked 5 hours a day 6 days a week.
But it wasn't too bad cause I was young and we had a group of migrants we were friends with and off times, the adults would gather in one of the shacks and play cards and drink while all us under 18 yrs would hang out and play, dance, and some even make out a bit. 
In fact I had a few boyfriends over the next 4 yrs that we followed the group. Some would go back to their homes after the summer though and every time I think of or hear "Sealed with a kiss" I think of those days,
but also very proud of myself. I worked 5 hours a day 6 days a week.
But it wasn't too bad cause I was young and we had a group of migrants we were friends with and off times, the adults would gather in one of the shacks and play cards and drink while all us under 18 yrs would hang out and play, dance, and some even make out a bit. In fact I had a few boyfriends over the next 4 yrs that we followed the group. Some would go back to their homes after the summer though and every time I think of or hear "Sealed with a kiss" I think of those days,
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26 people like this
24 responses
@MALUSE (69416)
• Germany
9 Apr 22
I had my first job when I was 14. When potatoes were harvested, a machine rolled across the fields, dug them out and threw them onto the open wagon. A group of women moved after it and collected the ones the machine hadn't grabbed. It was a back breaking job, and it didn't last long until we were all on out knees crawling across the ground. I did this to earn enough money to buy my first pair of jeans.
5 people like this
@MALUSE (69416)
• Germany
9 Apr 22
@arunima25 This is not an account of a present job. I had it at the end of the 1950s!
3 people like this
@arunima25 (85265)
• Bangalore, India
9 Apr 22
I am sure you must be thrilled to get the money and buy the jeans. It must be a proud moment.
4 people like this
but the prices of commodities during that time might be very low compared this time.
@Juliaacv (48251)
• Canada
10 Apr 22
I grew up on a family farm.
We were out in the fields hoeing at a very early age, I was probably about 9 or 10.
We were out there from 8-noon and then again from 1 until 4:30 or 5 in the afternoon.
We thought nothing of it, it was just what had to be done, and honestly there are harder physical jobs on the farm then hoeing.
Cleaning up a brush pile or picking up stones in the early spring are harder jobs and those I would call back breaking.
2 people like this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
11 Apr 22
Yes carrying big buckets of water and wood stacking,.I have also bent over all day picking those cucumbers once they had grown and pulling and chopping onions. Picking crates of potatoes out of the peet moss. I've probably picked, carried, and packed just about every fruit and vegetable you can mention.
2 people like this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
11 Apr 22
@Juliaacv Oh yes. My step dad took a whole crew of 4 other families to a couple of farms a few times with us and we picked tomatoes put in baskets a few times. I remember the first couple of days I did that, I ate only tomatoes for several meals and ended up embarrassed by peeing the bed and two of the other girl slept with me. Imagine that. uugghh. My mom said it was from eating too many tomatoes. Lesson learned. 
and two of the other girl slept with me. Imagine that. uugghh. My mom said it was from eating too many tomatoes. Lesson learned. 1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (48251)
• Canada
11 Apr 22
@bunnybon7 Oops, I am sure that you ate other things after that.
I never really cared for raw tomatoes, I like them in stews and sauces but only when they are cooked.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
11 Apr 22
maybe they were not big enough to hire from outside? This farmer had several fields and orchards. of various things.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
11 Apr 22
It is. Probably more so for me because I was an only child and it gave more kids to hang out with that I was in a common situation with.
2 people like this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
12 Apr 22
@RubyHawk I used to envy the girl at school whos dad owned a gas station and she always had all the beautiful clothes and such she wanted, lived in a nice house with her own room and ran with the "in" crowd. She took my crush away from me. He worked on the farm with me but in school, she ordered him around and he followed her like a puppy. She soon broke his heart though and I got to pick up the pieces 
She soon broke his heart though and I got to pick up the pieces 2 people like this
@RubyHawk (99425)
• Atlanta, Georgia
12 Apr 22
@bunnybon7 Sounds like traveling with the crops was good for you. I used to envy those kids I read about.
2 people like this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
11 Apr 22
yes not long after that a mexican governor got the law changed.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
11 Apr 22
@nela13 but I had fun too with other kids evenings and week ends and rainy days, etc.
1 person likes this
@nela13 (55702)
• Portugal
11 Apr 22
@bunnybon7 yes, you were too young to work the all summer.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (169575)
• United States
9 Apr 22
I can relate to the back breaking work. I picked strawberries once 4 hours out i the sun...that was enough! I think I ate as many as I picked too.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (169575)
• United States
13 Apr 22
@bunnybon7 Yeah, although it was kind of fun, and I earned alittle money. The sunburn I got wasn't worth it.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
13 Apr 22
@snowy22315 O h yes, that's why so many wear hats or scarves. and it's bad if you pick fruit from a tree because not only is it hot but you have to wear long sleeves to keep from getting your arms all scratched up and gloves too. 
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
13 Apr 22
I learned a lot about over indulging but it took several times. When I picked tomatoes, I ate so many I peed the bed. Very embarrassing when sleeping with 2 other girls from our group.
Then while picking blueberries, I ate so many, I had a stomach ache all night and couldn't sleep. 
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
11 Apr 22
Nice to have pocket money. I was allowed to waste a few dollars now and then.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
11 Apr 22
Yes but it taught me the value of work too.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
13 Apr 22
I was in school too during school months but still worked evenings and weekends.
1 person likes this
@cacay1 (83223)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
14 Apr 22
@bunnybon7, you were great and am sure your pocket was always money full. Are you a workaholic type?
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
11 Apr 22
you probably didn't need the money.1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
11 Apr 22
@DianneN sorry you couldn't stand the job
1 person likes this
@DianneN (246334)
• United States
11 Apr 22
@bunnybon7 I did! My father was very stingy unless it involved food in our bellies and clothes on our backs and a roof over our heads
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
13 Apr 22
Yes and it seems you started a trend here too. Everyone is happy to be talking about their childhood and school days.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325295)
• Rockingham, Australia
14 Apr 22
@bunnybon7 It's because we're all old!! Old people like talking about their childhoods - mostly, anyway.
Old people like talking about their childhoods - mostly, anyway.1 person likes this
@aninditasen (15719)
• Raurkela, India
9 Apr 22
Where are you these days? Aren't you staying with your family?
2 people like this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
11 Apr 22
I am old and disabled and live with my daughter and her common law husband in Florida.
1 person likes this
@aninditasen (15719)
• Raurkela, India
12 Apr 22
@bunnybon7 Hope you are safe and happy with them. Take care.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
11 Apr 22
yes thats the way of most lives.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (158680)
• Boise, Idaho
9 Apr 22
You should be proud of yourself.
I usually spent my summers at my grandparent's and helped them in their 1/4 acre garden. I know about back-breaking work.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (158680)
• Boise, Idaho
11 Apr 22
@bunnybon7 .......Yes, and knew better than to say anything about it.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
11 Apr 22
back in our days kids always worked unless your parents were rich.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
11 Apr 22
that's terrible for a kid wanting independence.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73201)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
10 Apr 22
You were a good hard worker I think that was great that you did what you had to do and did not complain and even got some fun too, I remember that song nice that it brings you good memories,
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
11 Apr 22
Yes when I hear a song it always reminds me of something going on in my life at the time.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (155469)
• United States
9 Apr 22
Those were the days when kids knew the value of a dollar and knew how to work. Thank you for your story.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (85265)
• Bangalore, India
9 Apr 22
As children we helped adults in all the chores around the house and even outside. Many children worked on the farms with their family. We learnt so much by doing together with the family.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
13 Apr 22
You do learn a lot about life with that.
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (85265)
• Bangalore, India
14 Apr 22
@bunnybon7 Yes, we do.. experiential learning is more effective.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
13 Apr 22
It was not a garden. It was a large farm where they hired lots of workers to grow and harvest many fruits and vegetables to take to market.
1 person likes this
@CarolDM (203454)
• Nashville, Tennessee
13 Apr 22
@bunnybon7 I enjoy the farmer’s markets.
1 person likes this
