Browse Items (10 total)

Photograph of an unidentified painting, probably by Juan Cavazos. A self-taught painter, Cavazos traveled from Mexico for employment as a migrant farmworker in Western New York. With support from the Geneseo Migrant Center and the MollyOlga Art…

Undated photo shows two women and two young children in a field, equipped with woven baskets. The crop being harvested probably is potatoes. Given the photo's apparent age and the tools used, it's possible that this dates to the mid-1940s, when…

Green Empire Farms is a massive, 64-acre Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) operation in Oneida, NY. It is owned by the Mastronardi Produce company, a Canadian firm that also purchased three Intergrow Greenhouse locations in 2023. This location…

The photo was matted to a 16×20 black board of Gus (the farmer picking potatoes) in Genesee County while living in East Bethany. This is common labor a migrant worker may expect in Western NY.

Circular disc is divided into four quadrants that offer glimpses into the lives of the Ruiz Pita family. Starting at the upper right and going counter-clockwise, we learn 1) that they work in cabbage fields; 2) that they are Mexican; 3) that the…

Landscape painting adopts an aerial perspective upon a farm in the midst of harvesting--tomatoes, potatoes, and corn all are represented. Large formal blocks of color divide the different spaces, and farm equipment conveys a sense of energy via…

Labor shortages on Western New York farms during World War II led to various programs for making up the shortfall: the "Farm Cadets" youth program; calls for community volunteers; guest workers from Jamaica and the Bahamas; and prisoner of war labor.…

The agricultural region of Orleans county supported several large food processing plants, among them the Olney Canning Company in Albion, NY and the H. J. Heinz factory in Medina, NY. The latter was built in 1899 as the seventh branch factory of…

As of 2021, Intergrow Greenhouses operated at three locations in Western New York: Fillmore, Albion, and Ontario. Together, they constitute nearly 105 acres of hydroponic production, or more than 4.5 million square feet. According to the trade…

During World War II American farmers had severe difficulties when it came to labor, especially during the harvest season, so the Farm Security Administration (FSA) authorized the creation of farm labor camps. One in Erie County was located just…