Produce Item Being Loaded into ART Car

[Ryan Smith]

Hello All,

I recently got this photo from the Helena Museum of Phillips County in Arkansas. No doubt they are loading some kind of produce into the ART cars at Marvell, AR. I know there was some spinach grown in this area in the 1930s but would not think they would load it in baskets like this. Does anyone have any idea of what kind of produce they are loading here? My best guess is that it is peaches but that is a guess at best.

Thanks,

Ryan Smith

[Jerry Michels]

Since the produce is in baskets, I suggest some sort of fruit such as cherries, peaches, etc. Probably not spinach which would be packed in boxes. Jerry Michels

[Charles Duckworth]

I looked in a period MP/IM booklet titled ‘Arkansas as an Agricultural State’. It mentions ‘melons and cantaloupes’ being grown. It’s difficult to tell due to the grain in the photo but these might be melons being shipped looking at the baskets on the right side of the image. [attachment=0:7yceahm5]E855A471-BFCB-4FFE-B6A6-69F3ACC044F7.jpeg[/attachment:7yceahm5]

[Ryan Smith]

Thanks for the info. I did a little more reading and it looks like a few carrots were tried in 1932 and a little sweet corn also. Here is a link if you are interested in learning more (https://www.google.com/books/edition/Agricultural_Statistics_for_Arkansas/SC09AAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=cantaloupe+marvell+arkansas&pg=RA9-PA25&printsec=frontcover).

Ryan Smith

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