My dad loves to tell the story how he raised strawberries on "the farm" when he was growing up in the driest, poorest land in western South Dakota. He says he would grow those strawberries and then truck them to Rapid City where he would sell them for 25 cents/box -- standard size, little boxes, I assume. Twenty-five cents.
He was about eight years old at the time. He contracted with one of his older sisters, who must have been about ten, to pay her five cents for every box of strawberries she picked. I'm not sure about the exact ages, but Dad was the youngest of five children, and it's unlikely a sibling much older than ten or twelve would have agreed to five cents/box.
I tell the story in light of the Drudge Report headline story at the moment. With the Feds shutting down lemonade stands across the country (see map here), I am reassured that we are a long, long way from experiencing the problems that London is experiencing. If "we" have the federal manpower to do this, we are in good shape, as a nation. Not to worry. "Plant a garden, go to jail."
I think the strawberry season must last all of a few weeks, during the summer when school is out. But I could be wrong. Football season is delayed in North Dakota so strapping, healthy, young, happy "boys" can help their dads get the crops in.
The most miserable job I ever had was "picking rocks" north of Williston. I think I was about 15 years old at the time. I never thought I might have been exploited, but, wow, it was awful work. I chose not to ever do it again, but I'm glad I had the opportunity to see what life's options were without an education.
I can tell these stories, now, because I assume statutes of limitation have run out.