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July 1940. Berrien County, Michigan. "Migrant agricultural workers -- 'fruit tramps' harvesting cherries and strawberries. Miserable housing in company shacks, cabins, tents, trucks, abandoned farm buildings, small children in fields with parents. Migrant mother from Arkansas taking a picture of the family before moving on to new work location." Photo by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Far be it from me to question Mr. Vachon who was obviously there on the spot in 1940, but... the young lady holding the camera hardly looks old enough to be a mom. Could it be that 'mom' is whose legs are visible off to the left holding the baby while big sister tries to snap a photo of her brothers and their dog?
[Once upon a time it was not uncommon to see women in their twenties with little kids who were their actual children! - Dave]
Somewhere, in some hope chest, closet, thrift store, or landfill - is an 80 year old image from a Kodak Brownie of John Vachon sitting on the roof of a shed taking this image.
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