Welcome to the Utopia Forums! Register a new account
The current time is Fri Jul 11 06:24:11 UTC 2025

Utopia Talk / Politics / Who will pick the apples?
Hillarys Intern
rank
Thu Jan 03 03:53:22 2013
By ALEX NOWRASTEH / Immigration policy analyst, Cato Institute

The apple market is booming in Washington State, as farmers have seen an increase of 50 percent of fruit shipped to keep up with skyrocketing demand. As other apple-producing regions of the country struggle with meager harvests following poor weather, this year's harvest should be especially profitable – if Washington farmers can find the workers they need.

That is a big if. The overwhelmingly Hispanic workforce for the apple harvest already has 13,000 more participants this year than in 2011, but it's not enough to satisfy the increased demand. "I'm down 40 percent from the labor I need," said Steve Nunley, manager of a 3,000-acre apple orchard near Wapato, Wash.

http://www...rs-381818-workers-percent.html
OsamaIsDaWorstPresid
rank
Thu Jan 03 03:58:24 2013
we bread negros 4 pikin stuf leik coton and cabiges thay culd use those pikin jeans 4 pikin aples
Dakyron
rank
Thu Jan 03 03:58:58 2013
Maybe they should pay more. Same old argument.
OsamaIsDaWorstPresid
rank
Thu Jan 03 04:01:34 2013
obamas suns shuld b forsid 2 work 4 white ppl 4 no wagis until thay wilinglie get a job of there own
Fred Felcher
rank
Thu Jan 03 04:02:00 2013
yup
Fred Felcher
rank
Thu Jan 03 04:02:28 2013
@ Dak
McKobb
rank
Thu Jan 03 04:04:02 2013
Illegals are economic slaves, we don't need traditional slaves.
earthpig
rank
Thu Jan 03 04:35:34 2013
"
Maybe they should pay more. Same old argument.
"

No it isn't - read the article and not just the snipit in OP.

It's a Libertarian argument saying that we should open our borders to make labor abundant and cheap.
Dakyron
rank
Thu Jan 03 04:37:23 2013
Its stupid argument nevertheless. We have enough labor already.
Dakyron
rank
Thu Jan 03 04:37:37 2013
Cloud Strife
rank
Thu Jan 03 05:11:09 2013
No we don't.

I say we ship everyone who's ever seen an EBT card to the fields to work.
kargen
rank
Thu Jan 03 05:22:16 2013
Maybe if unemployment ran out after twenty weeks we would find a few more people willing to pick apples instead of sit at home playing angry bird and collecting a check they don't deserve.
Rugian
rank
Thu Jan 03 11:12:55 2013
^correct. This country has plenty of laborers, it's just thanks to ridiculous government policy they feel too "entitled" to get their hands dirty in the fields.
CrownRoyal
rank
Thu Jan 03 11:50:26 2013
If you lose your regular job, do you even consider becoming a fruit picker, Rugian? In another state perhaps? I would likely move for another good job, but to pick fruits? Probably not. But, I don't know your situation. As for unemployment insurance preventing lazy people from finding jobs, that appears to be a myth.

"The jobless who received benefits more actively sought work than those who did not receive them, the Heldrich Center's national survey found"
http://edi...mployment-extension/index.html
CrownRoyal
rank
Thu Jan 03 11:53:00 2013
" A 2007 study from David Card, Raj Chetty, and Andrea Weber took a closer look at what happens to people when their unemployment benefits run out. They don’t magically find jobs, it turns out. Rather, they simply stop submitting the information that would cause the government to count them as unemployed."

http://www...-day-benefits-make-people-lazy
patom
rank
Thu Jan 03 13:30:50 2013
Rugian, there would be plenty of Americans to pick the crops if they could make a decent living doing so. The fact is that most Americans don't like to live the migrant life style that would come with crop picking.

There are still a hardy few in Downeast Maine that make their living doing seasonal work. Clamming, raking blue berries, making christmas wreaths and decorations, etc. Many of these jobs are being taken over by migrant workers or mechanization in the case of blueberry harvesting.
CrownRoyal
rank
Thu Jan 03 13:37:44 2013
Fuck clamming, I have my own problems.
patom
rank
Thu Jan 03 13:56:06 2013
Some made a killing harvesting elvers. They were selling for about $2,000 per pound this year.
Dakyron
rank
Thu Jan 03 17:00:45 2013
1,000 people in Detroit showed up to apply at Walmart. Im sure if you recruited from Detroit, you could find people willing to pick fruit for $15/hr.
TJ
rank
Thu Jan 03 19:06:13 2013
This country is assbackwards when it comes to welfare. Assistance programs shouldn't be long term for the majority. Less should be spent on their comfort and apply methods that get them at least contributing to some of their own wellness. If the bulk of poverty is going to be corrected it is a necessary action. I don't claim to know the answers, but when it is more profitable to do nothing the choice is obvious for those with little or no motivation.
patom
rank
Thu Jan 03 21:18:48 2013
What choice would you make if you were a poor single mother with kids? Would you stay on welfare where at least you know your kids can get medical care or go to work at walmart and get no benefits?
TJ
rank
Thu Jan 03 21:45:31 2013
Assistance programs shouldn't be long term for the majority.

Do you consider that person the majority on welfare. If she is then I stand corrected. What does that woman do when she no longer has the kiddies?
roland
rank
Thu Jan 03 22:55:28 2013
Not everyone can move to another state for a job that would only last for a few weeks and months.
CrownRoyal
rank
Thu Jan 03 22:59:54 2013
For no reason I goggled elvers and I can honestly say that I'd rather be clamming, than harvesting elvers.
Fred Felcher
rank
Thu Jan 03 23:15:07 2013
Fuck that shit. You should dip alewives for some real fun.
kargen
rank
Thu Jan 03 23:29:42 2013
"The jobless who received benefits more actively sought work than those who did not receive them, the Heldrich Center's national survey found"

Of course! That is part of the proccess. To continue to qualify you have to appear to be actively looking for work.

The vast majority of people on unemployment find a job within the last two weeks of benefits ending. So when benefits were ending in twenty weeks they were finding a job right around week 18. 100 weeks of coverage week 98 is when they find work. They look the entire time as required, they just don't get serious about it until benefits are almost done. THere is of course always exceptions.
kargen
rank
Thu Jan 03 23:33:22 2013
"1,000 people in Detroit showed up to apply at Walmart. Im sure if you recruited from Detroit, you could find people willing to pick fruit for $15/hr."

That is the problem. Usually this type of work is paid not by the hour but by what you get done. You can make really good money harvesting or picking crops, but you gotta work your ass off to do it. Most Americans sadly can't keep up the pace it takes to make decent money.
Aeros
rank
Fri Jan 04 00:06:21 2013
Just shake em out of the tree and scoop up with shovels. So what if its bruises them. Turn it into Apple Cider or Sauce.
kargen
rank
Fri Jan 04 00:10:17 2013
mechanised apple pickers are getting more affordable and better at picking the ripe apples without bruising. Will not be long before we see harvest crews on these machines much like we see harvest crews with wheat and corn in other areas of the country.
Fred Felcher
rank
Sat Feb 14 21:37:09 2015
Sup dude?
Fred Felcher
rank
Sat Feb 14 21:44:25 2015
Want a cookie?
Fred Felcher
rank
Sat Feb 14 21:46:33 2015
OK, I'm gonna assume you're hypoglycemic then.
McKobb
rank
Fri Jun 23 18:06:23 2017
http://nyt...rieties-pacific-northwest.html

How ya like them apples?
patom
rank
Sat Jun 24 01:04:17 2017
All over Maine there are apple trees in the woods. You find old stone fences from long abandoned farms that have returned to forest. All through these wood lands you will find apple trees.
show deleted posts

Your Name:
Your Password:
Your Message: