Selected interview transcript

This interview transcript has been modified for clarity and conciseness.

Esta entrevista fue conducida en inglés. Para leer versión en español de las preguntas y respuestas, haga click aquí.

What brought you to the San Joaquin Valley? Is it where you would like to stay? Why or why not?

I came to San Joaquin Valley to pursue different job opportunities and my wife’s family lives here. I want to continue living here because the cost of living is more affordable.

What do you like the most about the place, town or community that you live in? 

I like a lot of things, but what I like the most is how family oriented it is. Me and my wife, we have all our family here. Before moving in we were very disconnected, we had a few friends, and they had kids, but it wasn’t the same as having the family unit and support.

Describe your typical workday starting from when it starts to when it ends. And how your time is divided throughout the day and how do you get from place to place? 

Right now, my typical day starts at 6:00am and ends at 2:00pm. But I have an agricultural job, so during season my hours become way more impacted. It is no longer an 8-hour day, but it can turn into a 12 to 16-hour day very quickly. It all depends on what is going on. 

I am a Refrigeration Tech, so my day usually starts with me checking the systems, it involves looking at temperatures per room. Making sure all the rooms are at the right temperature. Making sure systems are running properly, making any changes to the system. And then the rest of the day is divided in small projects that are going on, making sure there are no maintenance request that need to be fixed and everything is running properly. Chipping in and helping out too.

I drive to work; it is a five-minute drive. But at work I walk around the facilities from place to place. It is nice.  

So, during season, do you go to work in the mornings without knowing what time you are getting off work?

Yeah, in packing you won’t work more than 12 or 14 hours on an average day. But here when you get to work you already know the day will be a 12-hour day. So, when the day is done, and you are doing two extra hours is not that bad. We aim to 12-hour days, but many times we stay longer.  And it is one of those things that we get paid overtime, so that is where we get big money, during the season. We start to log in extra hours and we start compensating for the slower dates from off-season. 

That is something I always dislike about agriculture jobs: not knowing at what time I was going to be able to get out. People saying, “There is not a lot of fruit, there is not a lot of fruit”. But then next thing you knew a load of fruit would come in and that is a 12-hour shift. So, if you could change one thing from your typical day, what would it be and why?  

I wish I would bike to and from work. That is something I wish I would do, and I have a bike to do it, but I just haven’t. But I want to because it would be good for me. And it is a 5-min drive so it will be a 15-min bike trip and it is a nice ride. That is something I would like to change, and it is for my own health benefit. Being outside for a few minutes because basically all my work is inside. And during season I can be inside a building for 14 hours so it can serve as a decompression time. 

What would make your day easier?

My days are easy in general, at least that is how I want to approach life. I feel I have an easy life. Only thing that can make it easy I think is an hourly increase on my wage. I’m paid a fair wage but never hurts to have a little more. 

What part of your day do you look forward to the most and why?

Picking up my son from school. I really enjoy that part. Before, when his aunt was here, she would pick him up because I would get off work later in the afternoon. But now I start at 6:00 am and usually I am off by 3:30 so I can go and pick him up. It is very cool to see him and his classmates coming out of the school in the little line. It is very cute. It is the best part of my day. I am going to miss that one once season takes over again. But I am enjoying that part of my day right now. 

Do you rely on any family or community support to get through a typical day? Including community and family resources.

Of course! That is why I moved here. It is what makes this place so special. The best part of being here is having my wife’s family so close and having that family unit. The family parties, Christmas, family gatherings, Sunday afternoons, birthdays… it Is a big part of having a joyful life and I want my son to see what a happy and united family looks like. I don’t think my son would be who he is if it wasn’t for our family.