Don't know about other parts of the country, but around here "local labor" would rather sit on the front porch and draw their "disability check." Then they go to the park and play basketball between bottles of Colt 45. When you can hire local labor you never know if they will show up or not.

True story: A few years ago a farmer I occasionally help on an "as needed" basis had a young fellow (maybe 25 years old, give or take) working for him. I was around him a few times. Seemed like a nice, likable young man. One day he said, "Mr. __________, I need to be off tomorrow."

Mr. _______: "Why."

Young fellow: "I have to go to court."

Mr. _______: "Really? What's the charge?"

Young fellow: "Murder."

Turns out, this fellow was convicted of murdering his grandmother, who he was living with at the time, by throwing hot grease on her following an argument about his dog. Less than two years later he was spotted on the street downtown.