The Woman's Land Army (WWII)

In the summer of 1917, at the beginning of World War I, more than 20,000 women from across the United States eagerly flocked to farms, ranches, and orchards as part of the Woman’s Land Army of America. These women, known as “farmerettes,” had little to no farming experience when they first volunteered, but they were ready to roll up their sleeves and help their country during a time of crisis. By 1920, when the war was over, they provided much-needed assistance to their country and proved many of their skeptics wrong, showing that with hard work and determination, anything is possible.

When the United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917, Americans were ready to help in whatever way they could. As the men departed for wartime duty, one immediate concern was who would fill the newly created vacancies for farm work that the men left behind. There was concern that this situation would have profound consequences on the nation’s food supply. Women immediately answered the call for help. …show more content…
Inspired by a similar group formed in Great Britain called the Land Lassies, the women of the WLA were ready to contribute to the war effort by assuming responsibility of the farm work while the men were away. They took part in training programs at agricultural colleges and large farms to become skilled at the everyday tasks of a farm worker. They learned how to plow, milk a cow, operate giant tractors, and countless other tasks before being assigned to