Sunday, July 09, 2006

From farmhand to farm owner

A nice story about a farm that is now owned by a migrant worker who worked there for many years. This is happening all over the country, many Latino workers are buying the land from retiring farmers. DP

By Marc Ramirez, Seattle Times staff reporter

The Seattle Times: Not a day goes by that Javier Lopez isn't thankful to have Tom Reinhardt by his side. With late afternoon here, it's time to check on the livestock, and the two head past the workshop where they store tractors and can peaches and into the rolling wedge of pasture that is their backyard.

"¿Estan las vacas acá o allá?" Lopez asks. Are the cows over this way or over that way?

"Creo que estan allá," Reinhardt answers. I believe they're over there.

Over nearly two decades, Lopez, 43, and Reinhardt, 59, have taught each other their native tongues and become the best of friends and neighbors. From Reinhardt, the aspiring Lopez learned a career; in return he gave his mentor, a lifelong bachelor with no kids of his own, a family to feel part of.

"He gave me the opportunity," Lopez says, "to do what I'm doing now."

When the amiable, pragmatic Reinhardt wanted someone to take over the operation he'd struggled to keep alive, he turned to Lopez, his business partner of nearly 10 years — and his one-time foreman and former field hand. Now Lopez owns the 20-acre farm operation, growing organic rhubarb and raspberries on leased land a mile east of Interstate 5 in Nisqually.

Stories like theirs are playing out again and again nationwide, even as small farms struggle and debate rages over who and how many should be entitled to the American Dream.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.

1 comment:

silent84 said...

How are you? Please consider my resume.
Andrei Tsitou
Phone: 011-(375)-29-749-6163
skype: ilent84211
e-mail address: silent84@mail.ru

Sovetskaia 12
Kritchev
Belarus
213500

WORK EXPERIENCE IN USA

I have some working experience in the USA (Working J-1 visa for 6 month:
April-September 2010). I had a job as an Associate Veterinarian at the
local pig farm in Alexis, IL. I was responsible for the animal vaccination
at the farm. I participated in some small surgeries, preventive
practices, providing some nutritional diets and taking care of some
animals. Also I can operate a farm tractor and some other farm equipment.

OBJECTIVE:
I would like to have some position at the animal farm according to my
basic education and working experience in the USA and Belarus.


Summary of my skills:

Five years of experience in animal vaccination and animal
surgery
Excellent veterinary skills
Capable of performing surgeries under anesthesia
Good communication skills
Good computer skills
Ability to solve the problems and work individually

Education
MD in Veterinary Medicine from Vitebsk Academy of Veterinary
Medicine, Belarus (2006)

Work Experience in
Belarus:
(July 2008 -2010) Independent Veterinarian Consultant
Present-Kritcev, Belarus
Veterinarian consulting services
Responsibilities
Providing the basic nursing care to the animal
Successfully performed anesthetic surgeries of the animals
Taking care of the animals if shifted to the intensive care
unit after surgery
Required veterinarian vaccinations

(January 2006 - May 2008)Sokolnichi LLC, General Veterinarian Belarus
Responsibilities
Responsible for the providing first aid to dogs, cats, pigs
and other animals
Carrying out anesthetic surgery in case of emergency
Responsible for conducting an orthopedic and other surgeries
Responsible for deciding pet nutrition and prescribing the pet
diet according to the pet's health after surgery till recovery


Languages
Russian
English


I am ready to feed and give to drink to animals, to clean rooms where they
to contain. It is ready to carry out small repair of rooms. I am able to
work about a drill, a hammer, a screw-driver,,a petrolsaw and other tools.
On a farm in Alexis. IL I cleaned farms where pigs contained, disinfected
a farm, and feeding troughs for pigs. I have a driver's license of
Illinois. I am ready to work for you.