Alternative Community Farmer/WPB.FL

The local  Palm Beach Post news paper reported today about another crime against workers who work out in the fields , in this instance make their living by trimming trees .

Two armed men approached three workers ,one African American foreman and two other latino workers and demanded money.When the workers ,who were engaged in trimming trees for FPL ,responded that they have nothing, they were showered with bullets from semi automatic guns.The forman died and one worker is critically injured .

This is another story about the way we look at people who work the land for a living.There is no respect for gardeners and farmers in general around here.Part of this stereotyping is lack of education to the public about the great value gardeners and farm workers provide through their services to keep the EARTH a living planet worthy for the living.

The stereotyping against certain minorities leaves no ample room to get equal opportunities or better jobs in the market place.There is work that is  looked at as menial and some people won't do it.The people who perform those "menial jobs"usually become victims to sweat shops,robberies,humilitians and discremination.No health insurance ,no benefits and sometimes dire living conditions follow this trend of employment.

The solutions are through altering the way we look at such work.Spreading the awareness through the media and schooling system could be like a starting point .

Jobs are plentiful in the field and we need to start educating our kids that farm and garden work are good choices and opportunities to take as jobs.We need to overhaul the way we think first .We need support from local and federal government to provide educational programs in addition to incentives and job opportunities.Health insurance and benefits will attract many applicants.Good or FAIR pay will do the same .It is not a SOLUTION to complain about illegal immigrants or migrant farmers who perform jobs that are menial and do not attract citizens.The solution requires action to elevate the status of those jobs so that citizens will find it attractive to apply for.

Crimes against field workers should be dealt with more punitively to eradicate them from our society.

The perpetrators who commited the crime were youth who found in their preys an easy target for quick money.Usually farm workers are known to carry cash in their pockets as they have no legal papers to open bank accounts .Doing something about this can  help reduce the crimes that target migrant farmers or other legal citizens who prefer to do such kind of jobs.

Change starts from within and raising the awareness towards a solution is just a baby step to restore respect and justice to farmers and gardeners who are the silent  keepers of our living planet EARTH.

I am now searching for a job in this field and I feel unsecure and at risk.I have lost my van to the junk yard as I could not have money to fix it.I lost couple of borrowed lands to locally grow organic vegetables .There are so many lands that sit idle and could be used to grow fruits and vegetables to support enough people who lost their jobs and are seeking food stamps and other financial help to sustain their living.This kind of using tax payer money is a non-productive approach .A better approach is" to teach a man how to fish instead of giving him or her a fish"!

There are churches and schools that have backyards that could be a potential place to create vegetable gardens.I have approached some of those churches and experienced creating a container garden at one of them.

We need to change our attitude from critical negative thinking -using our heads to calculate monetery gains and judging behaviours.We need to shift to a more PRODUCTIVE approach by using our HEARTS and compassion .I went by accident to a local agency that uses COMPASSION in their mission and vision.I found hope and help.When there is a WILL ,there is a WAY -as they say.Sometimes we need to change the WAY we think and feel in order to help bring in change to other peoples life!

Thanksgiving holliday is on the way.Make it an occasion to bring food to the needy through providing opportunities for CREATING MORE  PRODUCTIVE GARDENS that yield ORGANIC food that help feed the needy.Instead of a food stamp voucher , why not offer a voucher of a plot at a community garden to those who are employed.The burden will diminish on our tax payers and we will create opportunities that yield HARVESTS instead.We will educate people of the great value of working the land to produce food.By then may be the attitude towards gardeners and farmers will change towards more appreciation.May be, but it is worth a try!