Seen here is a group of children standing next to multiple barrels, filled to the brim with apples. An inscription on the back of the photo reads as follows: " ..
. The kids in their picking clothes and some of the 1,100 pounds of apples they picked. Those are boxes of apples piled behind them.
" Though the family in this photo was likely picking apples for the sake of their own harvest and economic security, now-a-days, apple picking is usually considered a casual activity, one that typically happens among family and friends during the fall season at a "u-pick" or "pick-your-own" locations. This history of these "u-pick farms" can be traced back to the early 19th century when apple growers near cities advertised country outings for picking and picnicking among the fruit trees. These adverts drew in large crowds, many of them from wealthy backgrounds, who liked the illusion of "roughing it" and picking their own food (a luxury the children in this photo clearly didn't get).
During the Great Depression, general economic disparity and new agricultural laws forced farmers to think of more creative ways to make sure none of the crops went to waste, so "u-pick" options began popping up everywhere. Families who couldn't afford fruit and vegetables could pick their own at discounted prices and farmers could ensure that no corner of their crops went to waste, even if it meant selling at a lower price. Since that time, "u-pick" farms have spread across the United States and become an af.