DAVID: My dad taught me how to weld. You know, the beginning memories of my childhood, the smell of iron, that smokiness.

Back when I graduated high school, I was just not into agriculture. I had my mind set in cars. But I wasn’t content, I was missing something.

My name’s David Alvarado, I’m a second-generation farmer here in Salinas, California.

Farming – it’s culture – but not anyone can be out there every day and put up with 12-14 hour days. That’s a farmer’s life.

For berries, this is definitely the perfect weather. You get cold nights, really ideal.

I think people don’t realize who’s out here. Who’s making it happen to have that meal in front of their table.

CREW LEADER: Uno – dos – tres – cuatro – cinco – seis – siete – ocho – nueve - diez

DAVID: The world eats out of this valley here. This valley’s known for the salad bowl. When we open that can of jam, you open the whole life of people out here. There’s people out here that make that happen.

It’s hard work. It’s not really just a skill. Berry growing is an art.

These guys are packing berries to eat. People don’t understand this, but only two people touch these berries. The harvester, and the consumer. That’s it.

It goes straight from their hands to your table.

My father is Jesus Alvarado. He came to this country in the 1970s. When my dad and mom met, they both worked harvesting berries. They’ve really seeked opportunities to succeed, and he’s the one that started this journey for us. My dad he knows everything about strawberries. I think he can sense them; he can hear ‘em, he can listen to them.

When I see a kid here in my crew, I kinda see my dad there. They’re going through the same thing that my dad when through 45 years ago. It’s a continuation of providing that opportunity for the next generation.

I truly believe it’s part of my responsibility. Not just to employ people but create an opportunity for them to succeed in life, to better themselves. I’m providing a workplace for them to come have an opportunity for a bigger dream.

JESUS: Why berries?

DAVID: Yeah.

JESUS: Because I guess I was born in one of the furrows.

DAVID: Haha!

JESUS: Yeah. Maybe that’s the reason, they went into my blood. I feel sorry for you, because they went into your blood as well.

It’s a good feeling – he’s followed my steps. I feel like most of my dreams came true

The legacy goes on

DAVID: This is not just my job; this is my life. This is my family; we are family here. I feel this purpose for what he did, and the sacrifice. And it’s something to have, to continue, and it's part of me. It’s something I want to pass onto my kids, and hopefully continue to grow bigger and bigger.

I think for my kids, what I want them to value the roots where we come from. Farming is humble. I think if they can understand that, I think I did my job.

I get this sense of completion, sense of achievement, that I’m doing the right thing. Everything I can possible for my kids to continue our legacy.

*Spanish Greetings*

Zenaida: I’m happy to have time with my children.

To be able to share more with them.

We are a very close family.

What’s hard for me is to leave my children, like when a long harvest is coming.

Hector: Good morning! Happy Mother’s Day, my friends!

My position is as crew leader and supervisor.

Spanish counting

Hector: My biggest responsibility on this ranch is to motivate people.

I always give my soul, my body, and my strength to this crop.

Zenaida: It is a sacrifice to come to work and leave our children. We come here and give it our all to give them a better future, to give them a better quality of life.

Many people arrive without knowing how to pick, and we teach them here.

You have to know how much pressure to apply to harvest the fruit.

I like to work in the fields because I feel free listening to the birds and being outdoors.

I feel…calm.

singing

Zenaida: I relate the plants with my children as if they were the same.

You take care of them, nurture them, give them their water, see them bear fruit.

I am happy in life because I have my children.

I am with my husband who supports me a lot.

Hector: She was a harvester on my crew. I got to know her. It was very nice. I felt joy and happiness.

Zenaida: I feel comfortable because we spend each day here together and we respect each other here, just as we do at home.

Hector: On this Mother’s Day, I wish she didn’t have to work. She wants to work because she is helping her parents in Mexico.

*Spanish calling*

Hector: Thank you very much to all the mothers. Thank you for the support you give us. We know you are tireless in this work. Thank you very much with all my heart.

For me, it’s an honor to see all the effort from each of the workers. They provide livelihood for their families and homes.

*Spanish greetings*

Daughter: Happy Mother’s Day!

Hector: How was school, princess, well?

Zenaida: Thank you. How nice my girl

Thank you, my boy.

Daughter: My mom is my life, very beautiful. She always takes good care of me, is a hard worker. I love her more every day and she cooks very well.

Zenaida: Thank you. Thank you very much.

Coming here makes everything else fall away, because they’re waiting for us.

With so many hugs and kisses, we forget everything, any fatigue or stress from work.

Hector: It is wonderful every time we come to the table. After work, we are no longer tired. We’re happy to be together again.

*laughter*

Minos: Family to me, is everything. I mean without that, then what's the point of life?

My name is Minos Eliopoulos, I’m managing director of Brookhaven Marketplace in the Chicago metro area.

My father’s name is Andreas Eliopoulos. He’s my mentor. Life for my father growing up was very difficult. He was born & raised in Greece.

Andy: We’re farmers, cultivate the earth, plant corn, grow apples but only for the house.

When I got to be 18 years old, I emigrated to the United States for a better life.

Minos: My family’s been working with the Anthony Marano Company since the late 60s. I buy the majority of my produce from them. They’re a one-stop shop. Anything you want, you’re gonna find it there.

Andy: I used to take Minos with me after school, when he was like 10, 11 years old, and show him around, how to do it. And he liked it, he was full of life.

It’s like a madhouse, it’s so busy, but they work so fast, it’s unbelievable.

Minos: You have to look left & right like you’re crossing the street. It’s nonstop beeping.

Andy:

Minos: To me this is the funnest part of my day. You come in here, you wanna buy this, start yelling at each other, and tomorrow you’re best friends again, so, for me, these guys are like part of my family, because I see them 4-5 times a week for the last 25 years. I mean, I know them, I know their parents, I’ve bought from their grandparents, and now I’m buying from the kids. And the way I’m going for another 30 years I’m going to be buying from their kids, so it’s a lot of generations.

Coming down here at a young age with my father, he was trying to teach me what to look for in every type of produce. The color, the shape, and he would have me taste everything.

I like to say that I’m one of the last of the Mohicans. There’s not many companies out there that come down here every day trying to pick out the right stuff.

Driscoll’s has very high standards. It has to pass a certain level, or they won’t even pack it with their name on it.

When I’m here, going through a lot of the pallets, there’s a lot of different growing regions. So, I try to pick what’s in the middle of the season because that’s usually the right size, right color, right sweetness to it.

It is a family business and there’s no better partners than your own family, because as I see what we’ve built, it’s our blood that we’ve put into the business, and our, all our hard work, and all the successes sowing from it. And that’s what I’m trying to teach to my children and tell ‘em the more you put into something the more you’ll get out of it.

It brings back a lot of memories when I’m trying to teach my son something because I see my dad telling me the exact same thing.

20 years later, I’m like wow I didn’t realize what he was really telling me back then. So now I’m trying to instill that work ethic into my son, show him responsibility.

Blackberries, strawberries here. Do you see how I separate the colors?

It’s passing our family values onto the next generation, and I can see him in me, and I can see my father in him.

Andy: Excellent, excellent.

Andrew: It’s important because I’m learning the hard way. When you do something for such a long period of time, like my dad, my grandpa, and it’s worked, and it’s successful, they don’t want you to change it. And they’re trying to teach me the ways of success, so that’s what I’m doing.

Minos: My dad came over here with nothing. Started a business from scratch, expanded and he’s enjoying his life, and everything is great. And I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t change anything.

Andy: Family means to me everything, whatever I do it’s for my family. That’s my love, my life. You know, we’re a family. We’re tight, very tight.