Migrant Workers In Cucumber Farms

Since I do a little farming, I enjoy reading about the joys and difficulties of the farmer's life. A writer in her weekly Catholic Times' opinion piece mentioned getting a box of cucumbers from a friend, and putting the smaller ones aside to pickle and eating the larger ones. The cucumbers started her reminiscing about the trip to a farm the previous year.

On her trip, she saw a number of foreign workers on the farm. Some were thinning the cucumber flowers, others were picking the small cucumbers and throwing them away, and others were looking for the large marketable ones.

She recalled a Korean proverb that said you can spot the signs of genius at an early age. This made her sad knowing that so many cucumbers were not allowed to mature but were picked and disposed of because not big enough or pretty enough for market. When not producing for the market, one can be unconcerned about the appearance of vegetables, but, sadly, farmers need a product that is marketable. Vegetables and fruits have to look good, being as perfect as possible so the farmer can ask for the best possible price. I was told at last year's harvest that very few of my sweet potatoes and peanuts were marketable; they were either too ugly or too small.

The writer felt sorry for the foreign workers after seeing their living quarters and the worn out bedding. She made a search of her kitchen and gathered together unused kitchen utensils and bedding that had piled up over the years, finding it difficult to give them even to the parish bazaar. Now she filled a number of cartons with them and notified her friend of her intention; the utensils and bedding were gratefully received.

Many foreign workers are working illegally in Korea, doing work that Koreans do not care to do, like farming. With its long hours and physical labor, it's work Koreans prefer not to do. Another reason for hiring foreign laborers is the increasing age of the population and the low birth rate. The fear that more jobs for foreigners mean fewer jobs for Koreans is no longer valid, for it actually gives Koreans more opportunities to work thanks to those who are doing the dirty, difficult and dangerous work. This enables many Koreans to continue working at more skilled jobs, otherwise many of these jobs would be going to other countries with cheaper labor costs and an abundance of workers.