From July 2018 through October 2018, I conducted a traveling research and writing project. During this time, I traveled around the western United States, volunteered on farms, and collected stories from women in agriculture. I took a special interest in the stories of immigrant women and those who have farmed in other countries. Overall, I sought to learn more about how these women’s diverse backgrounds inform their agricultural practices and experiences, and share their stories through writing.
On the wall of the Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center hangs a picture so small, dark, and faded that you might pass it by without a glance, if you didn’t know to look for it. In the picture, a woman in a full skirt and bonnet sits on the seat of a rusted tractor, orchard trees spread above her head. This woman, Hatsumi Mishimoto, is an Issei (Japanese immigrant to North America) and farmer who settled…
I push the bell on the front door of Bessie’s green, Hood River farmhouse and count to sixty, but am met with no answer. The only audible noise is a faint knocking in the distance, a sound I attribute to the farm workers lining the surrounding country roads. I ring again and wait another minute before deciding to try my luck at the back door. As I walk around, I hear the knocking again, louder…
“Hello, I just want to introduce myself. My name is Emma and I am conducting a research project, traveling around the country and collecting stories from immigrant women in agriculture. I heard about your market and was wondering if there might be someone here I could talk to.” It was not my normal way of acquiring research subjects. Usually, these conversations materialize after a couple of emails back-and-forth, a forwarding to a co-worker, a referral…
If you attend, or ever did attend, Grinnell College, your inbox likely overflowed this weekend with emails from family members and friends from across the country. This weekend, in the Sunday Styles section of the New York Times, Jacqui Shine featured the tensions within the town of Grinnell, Iowa, home to both a progressive liberal arts school and the largest firearms manufacturer in the country. She highlighted how increased shootings throughout the nation have intensified the…
Adelante Mujeres means “women rise up,” an apt name for an organization invested in empowering and educating low-income Latina women and their families. Since 2002, Adelante Mujeres has lead programs in early childhood education, Latina girls empowerment, conflict management, sustainable agriculture, small business development, and healthy food access. I had the pleasure of volunteering with the Adelante Mujeres Sustainable Agriculture Program during one of their CSA packing events, and plan to volunteer with them again. On…