A largely forgotten chapter of Canadian history has been brought to the stage in Onion Skins and Peach Fuzz: The Farmerettes, by Alison Lawrence at the Meaford Theatre Company’s Woodford Hall (107 Woodford Crescent). This play opened on April 9, and has hosted four sold out shows. The cast was fortunate to perform for 99-year old Ellie Smith, who served as a Farmerette.
This play recounts stories from 40,000 teenage girls who volunteered to serve in the Ontario Farm Service Force during World War 2 to harvest food during a period of rationing to sustain food supply while many farm labourers were serving in the war overseas. This is only the third time this play has been shown in Ontario.
Bonnie Sitter, an author, was searching through old family photographs when she found a captivating image of a group of young women taken on her late husband’s family farm near Thedford with a caption on the reverse that read “Farmerettes 1946.”
This led Sitter to research the Farmerette story, and publish an article in The Rural Voice asking for women who served as Farmerettes to get in touch with her. Shirleyan English, a retired London Free Press journalist, read the article and wrote a letter to the editor, explaining her own experience as a Farmerette, and how it remained the best summer of her life. Bonnie and Shirleyan would go on to co-author the book Onion Skins and Peach Fuzz: Memories of Ontario Farmerettes in 2019.
“We wanted to capture the story of how the Farmerettes helped win the Second World War by volunteering to aid farmers with food production,” said Sitter. “Most of these girls had never seen a farm. They came from all over Ontario as volunteers. They weren’t conscripted. They chose to roll up their sleeves and do their part for Canada, and their efforts have largely been forgotten.”
Directors Kim Ransom and Kelly Ward have developed this production over nine months working with a talented cast of young adults, the actual ages of the Farmerettes.
“It has been a privilege to stage such a historically significant story, that many in Ontario are only learning about now. The Farmerettes shaped the modern role of women in agriculture,” said Ward.
Meaford Theatre Company has also partnered with local businesses and service clubs to provide tickets to agricultural youth as an educational experience.
The remaining shows will take place on April 16, 17 and 18, at 7:30 p.m. with doors opening at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at www.3common.com/MeafordTheatreCompany or at the Book Hive in Meaford.
