1

Hop picker
20th Century, Circa 1939
Agassiz Hop Yards, Agassiz, BC, Canada

Credits:
Agassiz Harrison Historical Society

2

The community of Agassiz swells during the hop season as workers are employed in the hopfields
The hopyards provide employment to many locals also but during picking season workers come from all over the province to help with the harvest. A cultural mosaic of people, Mennonites, Chinese, Japanese, European and First Nations converged on the hopyards during picking season.
Many locals worked at the hopyards, driving horses and working in the drying kilns.

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3

Wong Tang, BC Hopyard labourer at the Chong Fong store on Pioneer Avenue
20th Century, Circa 1930's
Agassiz B.C. Canada

Credits:
Agassiz Harrison Historical Society

4

There were a number of Chinese workers employed at the yards. They took responsibility for planting, stringing up wires and ropes for the hops to climb on and the weeding throughout the year. As told by Queenie Fong Pink, her family had the contract to tie and knot the twine that was used to tie the hop vines up to the wires. The job would take those 4 - 6 weeks during the winter months, making about 10 cents a bundle of 200. During the picking season the Fongs had a restaurant/store out at the yards selling to the workers

5

First Nation couple picking hops.
20th Century, Circa late 1940's
Agassiz Hop Yards, Agassiz, BC, Canada

Credits:
Agassiz Harrison Historical Society

6

Boarding home run by Mr. and Mrs Molsness.
20th Century, Circa 1924
Agassiz Hop Yards, Agassiz, BC, Canada

Credits:
Agassiz Harrison Historical Society

7

Layle Zachlan, Gertie Brown, Leo Brown, having a laugh as they pick hops
4 September 1939
Agassiz Hop Yards, Agassiz, BC, Canada

Credits:
Agassiz Harrison Historical Society

8

Young boys work in the hop fields
20th Century, Circa, late 1940's
Agassiz Hop Yards, Agassiz, BC, Canada

Credits:
Agassiz Harrison Historical Society

9

Most of the hop pickers were First Nations. They would arrive from Seabird, Chehalis, Port Douglas, Pemberton, Lillooet, Lytton, as well as other valley reserves and some coming from farther in the province. Usually the entire family would make the journey. The hop season became a way for the First Nation communities to come together to see family members that now lived on different reserves, share histories, trade, arrange marriages and of course play Lahal, chanting and drums The annual gathering at the Hopfield became an important part of the First Nations communities.

10

First Nation lady pulling the cones off the vine
20th Century, Circa 1940's
Agassiz Hop Yards, Agassiz, BC, Canada

Credits:
Agassiz Harrison Historical Society

11

Jim Galozo and 2 young girls removing cones from the vines
1930-1940
Agassiz Hop Yards, Agassiz, BC, Canada

Credits:
Agassiz Harrison Historical Society

12

Friends and family work together
20th Century, Circa 1940
Agassiz Hop Yards, Agassiz, BC, Canada

Credits:
Agassiz Harrison Historical Society

13

Many immigrant workers from Eastern Europe joined in the harvest in the later years.
Tasks were usually divided by sex and age, usually women and children normally picked the hops, placing them in a basket. The best pickers could pick up to 200 pounds per day. Men were usually responsible for the vine cutting, and pole work and transporting the hops from the field to the drying kilns and off to the CPR for transport.'