Extraordinary Women: Ontario’s Farmerettes
Runtime: 50 mins | Release Year: 1967 | Rating: | Genre(s): Documentary
Production Country: Soviet Union | Original Language: Russian
In 2018, Bonnie Sitter, an author based in Exeter, Ontario searches through some of her family photographs. She finds a captivating little black and white image: a group of smiling young women on the running board of a vehicle. When she flips the photo, an intriguing caption reads: “Farmerettes 1946”. This moment sparks a compelling research journey that eventually leads her to co-author an entire book on a forgotten subject.
Showtimes
Joining us for the discussion are the film’s director Colin Field, author Bonnie Sitter and Farmerette Virginia Fraser.
From 1941 to 1952, the Farmerettes got out of school early to plant and harvest crops and pick fruit in Southwestern Ontario during the summer months. Their contribution to the war effort was crucial, given the food shortages, as well as farm labour shortages, which existed.
Through reenactments and archival images, the documentary recounts the story of these young women who had the grit, despite no prior farming experience, to work long hours in all weather conditions. They managed to produce hundreds of thousands of tons of food that were shipped off to the frontlines to feed starving European populations and even prisoners of war.
The film was inspired by Bonnie Sitter’s work collecting stories in her book Onion Skins and Peach Fuzz: Memories of Ontario Farmerettes. In the documentary, she explains how she came to embark on the project!
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Part of the Extraordinary Women series!
Cast/Crew Info
Director: Colin Field | Cast: