Hi MaryJane ~ The Bee Nation book (gosh I loved that book!) talks about the Women’s Land Army of America movement in WWII. Intrigued, I began reading up on the Internet to learn more. The women were known as farmerettes, which got me to thinking about how the MJF sisterhood is a sort of continuation of this great American legacy. Women were offered classes on how to be a farmer before being shipped off to their assignments … The MJF parallel is the farm-related badges we all enjoy doing with great pride. The program was mirrored from the one in Great Britain and launched in WWI here to accomplish the same goals of feeding the nation at war. Here is a poster of a training session during WWI that takes place in Charlottesville, VA, at the University of Virginia, which is where I grew up! It was a two-month program.
Then, I found this cool poster from WWII, which of course, won me over. I could have either served in the Red Cross for nursing OR become a farmerette in the Land Army and driven a red tractor. I think I was destined to become Red Tractor Girl because the legacy of that calling was first laid in my own hometown!
Happy Friday! The legacy of women caring for their nation and families lives on, in part encouraged by your leadership. The MJF Sisterhood has given more women the courage to honor that farmgirl heart and strike out than any other national program currently in place. In commemoration of all of the ways Americans served their country on this national D-Day Commemoration, Farmgirl endeavors continue to keep the legacy alive and thriving!
Have a great weekend,
Winnie
Proud to be known as Red Tractor Girl!!
Thank-you for sharing, Mary Jane! And anyone who doesn’t know about the Women’s Land Army of America, it is fascinating and was a very important national movement here at home. In some small way, I take great pride in feeling a bit like a true Farmerette, now in 2014, all through our learning together here at MaryJanes Farm!
Quick question, who wrote The Bee Nation?
I would really like to read it but I can’t find it at my library.
try Tammy Horn????
The full title is Bees in America and the author is Tammy Horn. You will love this book if you are interested in bees and american history,