The 1920s in American history is well-known for the way the rich spent their money, and the art deco styles, but it also was a time period of harsh realities for the lives of seasonal farm workers. This only got worse by the 1930s. These hardworking individuals toiled under extreme conditions, often in remote agricultural regions of the western states, and then having to travel to the next farm facing uncertainty, low wages, and inadequate living conditions. In a nutshell, living in shack was luxury in comparison.

The Importance of Seasonal Farm Workers

In the 20s, there was no grocery store chains, fast food places, big warehouses with freezers, or oversupply of food. Instead, much of the food supply was provided by regional farming, trucked in everyday to city markets. That requires a lot of planting and lot of fieldwork. But there were no farmworker unions or minimum wage requirements. People traveled from farm to farm, helping with harvests just to earn enough to eat and then to the next one. These individuals were primarily responsible for labor-intensive tasks and their contributions impacted everyone's plate, no matter how rich or poor.

Unstable Employment and Low Wages

Uncertainty was the name of the game for the migrant worker. Unlike today, where the term refers to seasonal immigrants who come across borders to work on farms, it was regular American citizens working many farms across the U.S. and being treated just as bad. This was before welfare, social services and safety nets. Most workers relied on short-term contracts or were hired on a day-to-day basis. They faced the constant challenge of securing employment during different farming seasons and traveling from rural town to rural town to do so. No one could plan for the future; every waking hour was about trying survive to the next day.

Wages earned by seasonal farm workers were lower than meager. Many were paid based on the amount of produce harvested or the number of hours worked. With no standardized wage scales or legal protections, workers were vulnerable to exploitative practices by employers who frequently took advantage of their desperate circumstances.

Living and Working Conditions

Seasonal farm workers of the 1920s endured demanding work environments and lived in substandard conditions. They would often travel long distances to remote farming regions, living in temporary shacks, tents, or communal housing provided by the employers. These accommodations were typically unsanitary and lacked basic amenities, such as running water and electricity. Families were cramped together in cramped spaces, enduring challenging living conditions.

The work itself was physically demanding, with long hours spent under the scorching sun or in extreme weather conditions. Workers faced health hazards and injuries due to exposure to harsh chemicals, inadequate protective gear, and repetitive manual labor. Many couldn't do much after age 40 and were passed by 50 in most cases.

Discrimination and Inequality

Seasonal farm workers in the 1920s and 30s faced significant discrimination and inequality based on economic class, ironically. Farmworkers were harassed by police in towns, herded to and from farms, and then sent packing when harvest was over. All were treated as second-class citizens. They endured prejudice, limiting their access to social and economic opportunities.

The classic segregation was also prevalent in many parts of the country, and farm workers of color were also frequently subjected to segregated living and working conditions. Labor rights movements were considered threats and illegal, security risks that needed to be squashed. If there was any organized help, it was primarily on the needs of industrial workers in urban areas.

Again, the 1920s may be remembered as a prosperous and transformative period in American history before the Depression arrived in 1929, but the experiences of seasonal farm workers during this time were a very different reality. The 1930s and the Dust Bowl only exacerbated things even more, but the history shifted from the gross enjoyment of the 20s to the suffering of the 30s, both in story and film and photography. These field workers grappled with insane working conditions 99 percent of workers today don't deal with in any form. Their perseverance and resilience, despite the challenges they faced, contributed significantly to the American agricultural success.

So the next time you feel you're doing really hard work, suck it up. You never worked as hard as a farm worker in the first half of the 20th century and never will.