"Population Explosion Means Picking Profits" from the August 13, 1963 Door County Advocate
By KETA STEEBS
Population Explosion Means Picking Profits
By KETA STEEBS
A long standing but little heralded feud waged on numerous cherry orchard battlefields has been fought indefatigably in Northern Door county for the past decade.
Unlike the Hatfields and the McCoys, this rivalry is not only bloodless—at times it's downright sociable. The spirited combatants — Joe Rio in the khaki and Filiberto Almendarez in the denim — have been trying to out-do each other in the fine art of cherry picking since they first met ten years ago. Both are naturalized Americans of Mexican ancestry and between them have sired 17 well mannered American citizens.
The Rios have 10 daughters and one son — all such industrious workers they were reluctant to stop picking cherries long enough to have their picture taken. Filiberto with only four daughters and two sons has been somewhat overwhelmed by Joe's superior forces.
So far Joe Rio's side has won every round with this year's contest no exception. Like all good fighters, Filiberto staunchly maintains his family will emerge victorious "Manana". That's the Spanish equivalent of "Wait 'til next year."
Both families average 300 pails of cherries a day. Joe's family exceeds that amount
frequently and, in exceptionally good orchards, has been known to pick 420 pails. Filiberto, with five less pair of hands working for him rarely gets over the 350 mark. They get together every evening to compare their "score cards" so it's impossible to cheat. No betting of money is involved in their contest, it's just the daily satisfaction of lording it over each other that spurs them on. If there is anything Filiberto hates — it's to be "lorded" over and little Joe Rio is an expert at it.
Joe resembles a brown skinned, South Pole, Santa Claus and Filiberto looks like Pancho Villa might have looked after encountering Black Jack Pershing. Joe grins at you — Filiberto glowers. Joe is gregarious — Filiberto glum. Both are so happy to ace each other (at the start of thy season) they act like two backslapping grads at a college reunion. By the time they are ready to go home, they're barely speaking to each other and leave the card comparing to the youngsters.
Both families come from Texas and follow the crops four months of the year but
they see each other only in Door county. Filiberto picks for James Erickson (Hy-Land Gardens) in Baileys Harbor and Joe Rio works for Clem Hedeen of Sister Bay. From here, they will pick potatoes in different parts of the state and then return to their respective homes.
Their word is their bond and both men enjoy an unprecedented credit standing on their crop picking circuit, It is not uncommon for their entire crews to charge $1,000 worth of groceries in a week's time and pay every cent they owe on payday.
The Almendarez family os from Carrizo Springs, Tex., (43 miles north of the Mexican border) and consists of Filiberto Sr., his wife, Florencia (who, unlike Mrs. Rio, does not pick cherries but does the cooking for her family), Filiberto jr., 22. Maria, 19; Elida, 18; Abel, 17; Anastasia, 15, and Florencia, 13. 'Berto jr. doesn't pick either, he's a checker, so it's really no wonder the Rio family wins.
Edinburgh, Tex., a city of some 20,000 people, located near Brownsville, is the Rios' home town. They own their own home, a 20-acre farm and a small tree nursery. Two of their eleven children attend the Pan American college; three are in high school; two in junior high and the rest in grade school. Maria, 21, has almost completed her course in nursing and Anita, 19, is training for a business career. Esmerelda, 17, has a beautiful contralto voice and has sung with the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra. Hermelinda, 15, an accomplished violinist; accompanies her sister and the two have won local talent contests. Elba, 18, is a high school senior, Elia, 14, starts her freshman year this fall and like the rest of the Rios, Jose Jr., 12, Delia, 10, Minerva, 9, Rosy, 8, and Lucy, 6, are as good in their studies as they are in the orchard.
Joe and Minerva Rio are proud of their children and justly so. Lucy, who has been the baby for six long years relinquishes her position next month to little Rio Number Twelve. Even in her eighth month of pregnancy, Mrs. Joe Rio Picks the tops of trees with the best of them.
Filiberto, I think you had better give up.
A FRIENDLY FEUD is carried on in Door county orchards every year by the Rio and Almendarez families of Texas. Each trios to outpick the other. The Rios (below) with their 11 children have their rivals outmanned but the competition remains spirited. At top the Alemdarez family except for Mrs. Alemdarez. Lower, the Rios. When the picture was taken five of the Rio children were in other orchards.
— Hagedorn
Courtesy of the Door County Library Newspaper Archive
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