Extraordinary Women: Ontario's Farmerettes

We're pleased to announce the screening of the 2024 documentary We Lend a Hand: The Forgotten Story of Ontario Farmerettes. The film's director Colin Field and author Bonnie Sitter will be joining us for the Q&A. We also will have a farmerette, Virginia Fraser, for our Q&A.

From 1941 to 1952, some 40,000 teenage girls worked on farms in Ontario during the summer. Their contribution to the war effort was crucial,given the food shortages that existed as well as farm labour shortages.

This is another in Back Lane Studios' series about Extraordinary Women, presented in partnership with the Revue Cinema.

Through reenactments and archival images, the documentary recounts the story of these young women who had the grit, despite no prior farming experience, two 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!

Watch the trailer here.

Tickets are by a suggested donation of $16. (Please note, when you purchase tickets by donation, you can only purchase one at a time.)

Host or Publisher Back Lane Studios