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Cultivating potato-fields, west side of San Joaquin Valley, California, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
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Cultivating potato-fields, west side of San Joaquin Valley, California, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
West side of San Joaquin Valley, California. Caterpillar diesel type tractor is common in California. Only very large-scale operations can afford this type. Cultivating potato-fields
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Media ID 36205532
© Heritage Art/Heritage Images
Agricultural Machinery California United States Of America Caterpillar Track Caterpillar Tractor Diesel Farm Machinery Machine Machinery Mccormick Deering Mechanical Mechanisation Potato Potatoes San Joaquin Valley Tractor United States Office Of War Information Valley Vegetable Vegetables Agricultural Worker Dorothea Lange Dorothea Lange Taylor Dorothea Margaretta Nutzhorn Farm Hand Farm Labourer Farm Worker Farmhand Farmworker Lange Dorothea Lee Russell Nutzhorn Dorothea Margaretta Recession Russell Lee Taylor Dorothea Lange
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This photograph, taken by renowned American photographer Dorothea Lange in 1939, captures the essence of the agricultural industry in the west side of San Joaquin Valley, California during the 1930s. The image showcases a man skillfully operating a Caterpillar diesel tractor as he cultivates potato fields. The large-scale potato operation is a testament to the industrialization and mechanization of farming during this era. The tractor, a symbol of progress and efficiency, was a luxury only afforded by the largest farming operations. Its caterpillar tracks allow it to maneuver through the muddy fields with ease, making it an essential tool for farming in California's fertile yet challenging terrain. The man, dressed in work clothes and wearing a hat to shield him from the sun, expertly guides the machine, demonstrating the crucial role of human labor in the farming process. The Great Depression had a profound impact on the agricultural sector, and this photograph offers a glimpse into the economic realities of the time. The potato fields, stretching out as far as the eye can see, represent the promise of a bountiful harvest and the livelihoods of countless farmworkers and their families. The image also highlights the transition from traditional farming methods to more mechanized and industrialized practices, a trend that would continue to shape agriculture in the United States and beyond. Dorothea Lange, a pioneering documentary photographer, captured this moment in history with remarkable precision and sensitivity, providing a poignant and enduring record of a bygone era.
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