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American Morning
Family Farm Needs to Work Every Day Available to Compete
Aired September 03, 2001 - 09:43 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Labor Day is a time that we take in this country to honor the American worker. Farming a is tough job that helps feed this nation.
CNN's Sean Callebs joins us now from Lexington, South Carolina. He's taking look at life on a family farm this Labor Day. Good morning, Sean.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon. You're exactly right, and while many people across the United States today kicking back, perhaps enjoying a picnic or some other end to the unofficial summer, than many people here in the farm country have realized that this is just another day to toil.
In fact, the family farmers really had to evolve over the years if it wants to compete with the really big companies that do international business.
Such is the case here at Walter P. Rawl and Sons farm in Lexington County, South Carolina, where this place has changed so much that the patriarch probably wouldn't even recognize it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Walter P. Rawl probably wouldn't recognize the family farm today. No longer a modest canning facility. There are now 1200 acres of vegetables, $15 million a year in business, a state of the art processing facility that's brand-new.
WAYNE RAWL, WALTER P. RAWL AND SONS FARM: It seems like the pace is a lot faster now than what it used to be back in years back. Everything picked up the pace, I think, but we enjoy it. We enjoy most every day we come to work.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When do you think you're going to have some mustard?
CALLEBS: The third generation: Five grandchildren are now taking over operation of the farm. Crops are still harvested and fields irrigated the same way. But there are innovations, such as greens: Bagged, cleaned and sold ready to cook. And now computer programs, fax machines e-mail are a part of daily business.
ASHLEY RAWL, WALTER P. RAWL AND SON'S FARM: We want to keep growing, of course, that way we can compete with some of the larger players, and just have more to offer.
CALLEBS: Their greens, onions, zucchini are sold coast to coast in Safeway, Kroger, Ingles, just about every grocery store you can names. There are now about 150 workers, including dozens of migrants.
The Rawls say one key to success has been learning the business from the ground up, and keeping a sense of humility.
A. RAWL: Every one of the grandchildren, we all had to work in the field and just work our way up. So yes, these are people that I've worked beside all my life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CALLEBS (on camera): And the Rawls say that Labor Day is really just another day to labor out on the farm here in the South Carolina sand hills. In fact, Christmas day is the only day of the year that this massive operation shuts down for the entire day.
But, the family says if they want to go toe to toe with the really big guys, that's the way business has to be done.
Live in Lexington County, South Carolina, I'm Sean Callebs. Leon, back to you.
HARRIS: Sean, before we let you go, you got to tell us, what in the world are you standing in? What is all that stuff they are growing there?
CALLEBS: I'll give you an idea. These -- in fact for 10 bonus points, Leon, see if you can tell me what this is. This is what the workers were pulling off, and basically they'll cut if off right about here.
One guess, Leon. What is it?
HARRIS: You know what, I'm going to say it looks like something my mom would cook for me if I was at home this holiday. Some kind of greens.
CALLEBS: Some kind of greens, exactly right. So, take another dollar out of petty cash.
These are turnip greens, and they're a little bit bigger than the collards, which really is the number one cash crop here at the Rawl family farm.
HARRIS: OK, just make the check out to Leon Harris, Sean. I'll get it from you on the golf course, all right, buddy?
CALLEBS: Exactly.
HARRIS: All right, take care. We'll check back with you later on. Sean's going to be out there all day.
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