Photos courtesy of Steinbeck Center Photo Archive at the San Jose State University King Library Digital Collection.
The Salinas Valley is located in central California. John Steinbeck grew up in this region, and it serves as the setting for many of his books.
Salinas Valley has been called the "Salad Bowl of the World" because of the many crops that are harvested there, including lettuce, broccoli, spinach, strawberries, and tomatoes. In Of Mice and Men, George and Lennie are working on a farm harvesting barley.
During the Dust Bowl era, many people migrated west to find work on farms. Men like George and Lennie would travel to different farms to harvest whatever crops were in season. This was a common lifestyle for people during the Great Depression.