June 1931. York County, South Carolina.

June 1931. York County, South Carolina.

The peach market collapsed with everything else. The Gillespie family owned 25 acres free and clear. Father Robert Gillespie, 55, mother Lula, 52, and twelve kids. The bank held no note but the canner held the contract.

June 5 the canner sent a letter. Price was now 40 cents a bushel, down from $1.10. It cost 60 cents to pick it. The canner said leave it or pick it and lose money. The spray bill was due. The fertilizer bill was due. The taxes were due.

Robert took the eight oldest kids, 21 down to 12, and went to the orchard. He said they would pick anyway. They had nothing else. Lula took the four youngest, 10 down to 4, and went to the road with a table. She put up a sign. Peaches 5 cents a dozen.

They sold to cars from 6 AM to 8 PM. The 4-year-old counted dozens. The 10-year-old made change. They sold 900 dozen in three days. $45. The boys picked 300 bushels. They let 700 rot.

They paid the taxes. They paid the spray. They did not pay the fertilizer. They ate peaches until September. The 21-year-old, Earl, went to the CCC in 1933. He sent home $25 a month. He said: “Dad picked at a loss. Ma sold at a profit.” Lula kept the table. She said: “The canner said no. The road said yes.