I have heard it said that the Central Valley here in California feeds the world, and while this may not be as true as it once was, I would like to think that the best produce around the world comes from the Central Valley. Many people who find their produce at the local supermarket have no idea what they are missing out on, many times the fruit that I bring home during the off season here in the Valley is so sub par I contemplate throwing it out, this fruit often comes with labels that indicated the produce came from somewhere outside of California, or even the United States.
Summer is, for me, the best time of year as there are always different kinds of fruit in season that can be enjoyed, canned, and frozen. Berries of all different kinds are a staple for me in my morning cereals and there is no better place to get them than your local farmers market. Farmers Markets ensure farm fresh produce, and often is grown just outside the city in which you are purchasing it. Being a regular at both the Visalia and Reedley Farmers Markets I have come to understand that farmers have a very unique perspective on life, well grounded in their work ethic, and generally very genuine.
It was through attendance of the Reedley Farmers Market that I came to know Gayle Willems of River Valley Farms, one of the local farmers who regularly brings her produce to market. Through talking with her and watching her it is apparent that she has a love for Christ and a heart for helping people understand what it is that they are buying, giving short taste tests of the produce that she sells.
Gale was gracious enough to allow me to come and see their operation; simple as it may be River Valley Farms is just one of those places that you have to see to believe. River Valley Farms grows berries for sale to local markets, sells other local goods and offer educational days for children where they can learn what a farm is all about. Education is just one way that they can touch others lives with an example of Christ.
Though farms are hard work, with the right conditions, good planning and good people to work with the end result can be very rewarding. Many people work long hard hours to ensure that good crops are delivered to the local stores. Crops of different kinds of berries can be especially strenuous to produce, as they require special care. Berry crops require their vines to be picked manually; unlike larger fruits or corn they require the slightest touch to ensure that the most sweet and juicy of the crop make it to market and must be kept especially cold until delivery can be made.
I arrived ready to photograph just after 6:00 am this morning to River Valley Farms, not quite sure what it was that I was supposed to be working to capture, but ready and willing for what it was that God had to show me. I stood on the outside watching people work in the fields, covered by shade cloth, as the sun rose over the mountains realizing that they are at work every working day at this time to ensure that the day’s heat doesn’t destroy any more of the crop than necessary. The workers seemed generally amiable to having their photographs taken, this was an answer to prayer, as I started in on my 3-hour journey.
I didn’t want photographs of people smiling or posing for a camera as this just shows people turning work into a happy memory for someone they don’t know. Instead people just doing their jobs quietly packing crates with berries, driving tractors to and from the field, and picking berries one by one was what I wanted to see. I didn’t even ask people their names as I moved quietly and respectfully through the fields capturing work as it is for each person every day; faces, arms, and legs covered to keep spiders and insects away.
Though I may be a wedding/portrait photographer I believe that it is through interaction with everyone here in the Visalia, Tulare, Kingsburg area that I can share Christ with others. It is also outings like this that allow me to create new image, practicing my photo journalistic style in a more relaxed environment where practicing a photograph doesn’t keep wedding guests waiting.