The American Way of Eating (First 100 Pages)

So far, I'm very pleased with my choice of book. The American Way of Eating by Tracie McMillian reveals the real life stories behind the industries of farming, supermarkets, and restaurants. Tracie is an undercover journalist, born and raised in Michigan, that travels around the United States to find out more about the food we eat. Her goal is to follow the food on its complete path, from the field to the dinner table. She discloses very little information about herself to the people she encounters while working and only says that she really needs the job and doesn't want to have to talk to people. Within the first 100 pages of the book, Tracie tells of her time spent as a farm field laborer.

Tracie first starts working in a grape field in the California Central Valley. Tracie is lucky she is somewhat fluent in speaking Spanish because her skills are put to the test right away. Nearly everyone she encounters in the fields is a Mexican immigrant, many of which are not considered 'legal.' Tracie befriends a woman named Pilar who helps Tracie in anyway she can, only hoping to get English lessons in return. Tracie is trained to cut grapes suitable to be sold in supermarkets like Walmart. Tracie quickly realizes that even though an increase in wages for the field laborers would not raise the retail price of the grapes in any noticeable manner, there is no way that the companies would be willing to pay their workers more if they didn't have to. And why would they? Unfortunately, since many of the laborers are not considered citizens and are not protected under labor laws, no one is willing to speak up in protest for higher wages and better working conditions. Tracie finds that working in the grape fields is not easy, but her journey is only going to become more difficult.

Next Tracie lands a job harvesting peaches near Fresno. Here Tracy is forced to live in a home with one of her working superiors named Lorena, and fourteen other people, many of which are illegal immigrants working on the same field. The living conditions are horrendous. Cockroaches roam the house freely and Tracie refuses to allow her bare feet to touch the floor for her entire stay there. Days on the peach orchard are hot and long. Her job is to inspect and sort through the peaches brought in by the pickers. Tracie doesn't work here long, but definitely understands the difficulties of harvesting peaches. She becomes sick with what seems to be overheating and exhaustion near the end of her time there. Tracie is optimistic though, and continues on her journey.

Finally, Tracie begins work on a garlic field in the Salinas Valley. Her job is to dig the garlic from the ground, remove all dirt and debris, and cut the stalks and roots to leave a head of garlic to be sold. Here, Tracie is paid by the bucket full and eventually finds out that farm contractors have a way of shorting their workers of their proper pay. Days on the garlic fields are long and physically demanding. The constant griping and grasping done while using the scissors, or tijeras, actually causes Tracie to develop a sprain in her right arm. This injury leads to a shift in position for Tracie that is short lived in gleaning garlic, or picking up the left over pieces after the first field pass. Tracie does not take this opportunity for granted because she knows that most people, in a similar situation, would simply be fired and turned away from work.

In each job she held as a farm laborer, Tracie developed meaningful relationships with the people around her. She was shown great hospitality and generosity nearly everywhere she went. For people that have so little, the immigrants and Mexican Americans were quick to share what they could to help Tracie in any way possible. This way of life is hard and exhausting. The labors are overworked, underappreciated and definitely underpaid. Tracie values her opportunity to experience this first step in the movement of food, but is absolutely thankful to not have to endure it forever, like so many have to.

Illegal immigration and payment of field laborers are topics too in depth and controversial to discuss in one blog post, but the first 100 pages of this book will surely get your mind thinking about those things. It's interesting to look at the topic from the perspective of the worker, just trying to make a living in a seemingly desperate, and hopeless situation. I will not share my opinions on the subject, but I welcome yours! What's your stance?