Through their lens, the photographs offer a poignant illustration of how resilience, empathy, and community have carried their family forward, even as the farming landscape evolves.
Farm-raised the other hand, live natural lives. Our grandparents’ cows often lived past 10 years, and just one cow could feed a family of four for years. But fair- priced, ethically raised meat struggles to compete with the cheap, mass- produced meat from CAFOs. This isn’t just a question of price — it’s a question of values, health, and humanity. animals, on
from, is difficult because there’s no immediate impact or reward for making better decisions. It’s easy to adopt an “out of sight, out of mind” mentality, especially when it comes to buying animal products. The reality is, 90% of meat in the United States comes from CAFOs — concentrated animal feeding operations. Let us be clear: No CAFO is humane. They are the exact opposite of compassion. Despite
“PRAY FOR RAIN, SENORA, CA”
what anyone tells you, these operations are barely regulated. There is no rulebook governing the conditions in which these animals are kept. The ripple effects of CAFOs are devastating. Poor oversight of these tortured animals leads to diseased meat and contamination. Think about it — do you really want to eat a steak from an animal raised in a cramped, confined space, pumped full of soy, and slaughtered at three years old when its natural lifespan is 20? What benefit could that possibly have for your body? In CAFOs, animals die in fear, and the quality of your meat depends on the state of the animal at the time of slaughter.
living easier for our elders, from housing to errands and accompanying them back to Mexico. Experiencing these layers firsthand, from childhood to adulthood, gave us a deep appreciation for the sacrifices made by farmers and empathy for those that need a support system to continue farming. TRJ Documenting your family’s farming legacy must have been deeply personal. How has this process shaped your perspective on the importance of knowing where our food comes from? AA We all care about things — our health, our children and pets, our future. But taking the time to learn about unseen issues, like where our food comes
THE ROOTED JOURNAL “The Onion Fields” conveys layers of meaning. How did exploring these layers deepen your appreciation for the sacrifices made by migrant farm workers, both in your family and across generations? AMBER MAALOUF & ASHLIE CHAVEZ First, it has changed the way we buy food. Second, it’s opened our eyes to the reality that in California, sometimes the very people making the sacrifices to make this food available to the masses can’t even afford the food they produce. Buying farm-to-table is absurdly expensive — for the average person, it’s financially burdensome, and for lower- income families, it can be impossible. Third, there’s no repayment worthy
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of the sacrifice of displacing yourself and your family. So, we do everything possible to make
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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ISSUE 02
THE ONION FIELDS
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