Know Where the Activities Will Be? Read the Farm Women Calendar. SEE US FOR YOUR FALL NEEDS DISK HARROWS CASE ATHENS PITTSBURGH The Gehi 72” Flail Chopper Never quits til! you do A Binkley & Hurst Bros. 133 Rothsville Station Road 1 * Editor’s note; The following is an article based on a speech, “Women in American Agriculture,” by Vivian Wiser, National Economic Analysis Divison, ..at the National Agricultural Outlook Con ference, November 1975. Women are agriculture’s unsung heroes. Historians have largely ignored their contributions-probably because plowing a field, slopping hogs, churning butter, making soap, emp tying chamber pots, and washing work clothes don’t seem like great achievements. Nevertheless, their willingness to do tiresome but necessary chores has kept many farm business from going under. Farmwomen worked especially hard in pioneer days. One account of life in Dutch New Netherlands (now New York) circa 1625 tells of the men spending their time hunting, while women were left to the farm and do the housework, not to mention caring for the children. LITTLE GIANT ELEVATOR IN STOCK READY FOR DELIVERY Lititz, PA. Women in agriculture - the unsung heroines Mort than two centuries later, most farmwomen were still doing more work than their husbands. An 1862 report from the newly for med USDA said that on three out of four farms, “the wife works harder, endures more, than any other on the place.” Unfortunately, the report offered no solutions to the farmwoman’s lot. The author simply said that husbands could and should remedy this situation, and that a mother “should train her daughters for marriage and her sons in giving their wives proper treatment.” Although most early women settlers labored on small farms with their spouses, some Southern women managed huge plantations, especially during the Civil War when many fathers and husbands went off to battle. Without their men, farm women in both the North and the South returned to the fields-running mowers, reapers, rakes, drills, and plows-cared for livestock, milked cows, and made Phone 717-6264705 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Oct. 16,1976 — butter and cheese. These women literally fed both armies. Women’s role in the Grange After the Civil War, a number of farmers’ organizations were formed in which women played an active role. The National Grange, born in 1867, realized the importance of the family unit. Women held several offices during the Grange’s early years. Members such as Mary Anne Bryant Mayo of Michigan went about lecturing and urging other women to get involved in social and educational activities. In 1892 the Grange voted to give Caroline Hall equal status with the seven male founders of the organization. Miss Hall had held various positions in the Grange, including first Ceres and lady assistant steward. “Patrick Henry . in Petticoats.” Another leader of American agriculture was MNary Elizabeth Lease, who became associated with the Farmers’ Alliance movement. Admitted to the bar in 1885, she developed a gift of oratory that she used in support of Union Labor candidates during the 1888 campaign. Two years later she made some 160 speeches for the Union Labor Party, including the famous: “What you farmers need to do is to Lancaster Co, Society 1 The Society of Farm Women 1 met at the home of Mrs. Elmer Hershey, Lititz, on October 9. Twenty-eight members and guests an swered the roll call by sharing favorite spices and herbs. Mrs. Noah Fuhrman and Mrs. Barry Noll were welcomed as new members. Rachel Bollinger was elected president, and Mrs. David Fyock was elected vice president for 1977. Many of the members had assisted in the applebutter boiling at Landis Valley Harvest Days. Twenty-five calendars were purchased in support of LARC. Forty thi;ee dollars was given for a piano to be used for com munications work in India. Mrs. Harold Fry en tertained with a speech and STOLTZFUS MEAT MARKET O | ATTENTION FARMERS I );\ | CUSTOM BUTCHERING lit V I OUR SPECIALITY j K —FRESH BEEF AND PORK— LJ \ OUR OWN HOME MADE W Jjk SCRAPPLE & FRESH SAUSAGE Bacon and Country Cured Hams Orders taken for freezer Meats PH. 768-3941 Directions : 1 block east of Intercourse on Rt. 772 - Newport Road STORE HOURS ™^ RS- ™ - raise less com and more hell.” Called the “Patrick Henry in Petticoats,” Mrs. Lease was well received in the Midwestern States, sometimes making as many as eight speeches a day. Joining the lecture circuit. A number of women became adept public speakers through their af filiation with the National Grange and other farmers’ institutes organized by agricultural societies, State boards of agriculture, State colleges of agriculture, and experiment stations. Women lectured to both men and women on such subjects as food preparation and diet as well as general agricultural topics. Women participated in the formulative meetings of the American Association of Farmers’ Institute Workers, begun in 1895. However, once the organization was on its feet, the men voted-against st'ong opposition from the women--that the women must have separate meetings. A committee was set up to work on women’s institutes. But due to stiff competition from the Homemakers Association, canning clubs, and extension home demonstration agents, the institutes were disbanded during World War I. some exhibits of Kitchen Ware of yesteryear. Coming events include attending the Sight and Sound Showcase on October 23, a bus trip to Flemington, N.J. on Oct. 26, and the Lancaster County Farm Women’s convention at the Farm and Home Center on November 6. Two other events are the monthly meeting at the home of Mrs. Simon Snyder, Ephrata HI on November 13, and a Christmas Bazaar at the Farm and Home Center on the November 8. The Christmas Bazaar will take place at 9:30 a.m. 57
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers