A car ride to Homestead, Florida where several hundred people are working the fields reveals beautiful scenery. The sky is blue with few clouds, there are palm trees, emerald green grass, flowers and perfectly manicured crops. The scent of fresh soil and plants fill the air. For a tourist it's a lovely escape from the intensity of Miami, but the reality is that life for the farm workers tucked away deep in the fields is not easy.
There are more than 400,000 farm workers in Florida. The majority are Mexicans or from South and Central America. About 35 percent are Haitian.
The Farmworkers Association of Florida says this type of work can be hazardous because workers are often exposed to chemicals used to treat crops. In addition, it is one of the lowest paying jobs. Farm work demands a physical effort. At night, workers complain of sore arms, legs and backs.
The work day begins between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. for Haitians working in the bean fields. A "contractor" picks them up in a bus or van between 5:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. They pick beans or tomatoes from about 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. when they board the bus or van to return home.
The next morning, the process starts all over again - seven days a week.
When you talk to the farmworkers - men and women alike - they tell you the work is hard, but they don't have a choice. Even though the labor can be back-breaking most Haitians are smiling at the end of the day. They say they are thankful to be able to make a little money to send home to Haiti. Some of them prefer to avoid conversation alltogether, for fear of opening themselves up to problems with their supervisors on the farm.
"It's a lot of energy, a lot of effort. Sometimes I spend the entire day working. You get up and eat or drink but then it's back to work," one woman explains. She's thin and looks drained but is smiling at her accomplishments for the day. She was able to fill more than 10 buckets.
"Thank God, we are getting along, we aren't doing too badly," a man tells me. "I don't know how many buckets I filled today, but it was a lot."
Another woman who says she's 76 (but looks about 50) has just left the bean field. She stands near the bus wearing a pastel-colored floral dress that has faded. There are three holes in the front. "I came here in 2001. In 2003, I started working in the fields. It helps me pay for everything, everything," she explains.
But the contractors who shuttle the workers to the fields are less complimentary. They say their biggest problem is a lack of leadership and discrimination from some officials. They don't know where to go for protection.
Laroche is a contractor who came to the United States 30 years ago. He's from Cap Haitien, in northern Haiti. Laroche has been working on farms for 25 years and is full of information about how the work is done.
"Haitians need to know they are going to make lots of money," he explains. "One makes 40 [dollars] another 50, another 60. They are always trying to outdo eachother, so as not to be the one to pick the least amount [of fruits or vegetables]." Laroche says the workers earn $3.50 for each bucket of beans they pick. Most of them pick between 15 and 40 buckets a day. A meager wage, considering the intense effort required.
"It's not illegal," Laroche says in reference to the small salary. "That's how the government wants it. Each time the minimum wage goes up, they raise the price." He says when the farmworkers pick fruits such as tomatoes for example, they can fill buckets faster and with less effort.
After the bucket is filled, the worker puts it in a large plastic bin. The beans are later washed, boxed and sent off to market. According to Laroche, Mexicans are the biggest competition for Haitians working in the fields.
Florida state law requires that anyone who recruits, transports, furnishes or employs farm workers obtain a license. Contractors must also adhere to strict regulations and high standards. According to the state of Florida, the regulations are meant to protect the farm workers as well as their employers. Among the responsibilities of contractors are safe transportation, sanitation and water.
"We're here to protect the worker," explains Jerry Willson, Division Director for the Division of Regulation. His office regulates investigators, professionals and the farm labor program.
"We're there to protect the workers and the transportation, making sure they have water, sanitation and making sure people are licensed," he adds.