Wartime Iowa farm changes and family life reshaped by World War II
Wartime labor shifts pulled workers from farms boosting mechanization and lifting farm profits. Women left rural tasks for city jobs, while rationing limited equipment purchases. Despite shortages, prices rose and families adapted with canning, sugar rationing, and creative substitutes as farmers coped with scarcity and patriotism.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Wazette
Iowa
Paul Lasley
Iowa State University Extension
Ames
Lasley
Kenneth Smalley
Iowa City
Ray Smalley
Farm labor shortfall met by community effort in wartime Iowa
Amid a 70 000 worker shortfall at World War II start, Iowa farmers relied on farm families neighbors and Crop Corps efforts. Extension records show 60 958 workers placed on farms in 1944 with 45 percent men 5 percent women and 50 percent youths, while hog egg and poultry outputs surged year by year to 1943 totals.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Marlene Lucas
Iowa
Joan Burrows
Belle Plaine
Funk Brothers Seed Co
Lowans
War era thrift and garden work in Iowa Extension programs
Iowa State University Extension agents taught thrifty home economics during WWII. Gardens and canning produced large yields with 455 000 Iowa gardens in 1943 and extensive canning and jelly making. Extension programs also taught garment repair and remodeling. many families relied on home garments and sack cloth dresses. 4 H clubs encouraged garden work as mothers faced labor shifts.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Marlene Lucas
Iowa State University
Iowa
Ralph Bliss
Cooperative Agriculture
Bliss
Johnson County
Civilian Defense Office
Iowa City Junior High
Iowa City
Emmett
Gardner
Extension Home
Linn County
Shirley Oltmann
Prairieburg
Shirley
Rex Conn
Linn County Extension
Draft board sends teen back to farm
Gary Hinrichs of Marengo recalls how his family sought a farm deferment for himself and his brother Chris after Hinrichs received a 1-A notice in 1942. The board granted the deferment for Gary and classified Chris 1-A, sending him to serve and later die in Germany. Gary later served in the Merchant Marines and received another farm deferment. When Korea began, his draft number was first called in Iowa County.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Gary Hinrichs
Marengo
Iowa County
Hinrichs
Chris
Gary
Germany
Merchant Marines
Also Mentioned on This Page
By Marlene Lucas
Smalley
Margaret Doermann
Anamosa
Doermann
History Center
U.S
Mahmedy
George Patton
Bastogne
Douglas MacArthur
Adm
Chester Nimitz
Iwo Jima
Okinawa
Japan
The
Ardennes
Auschwitz
Draft Board
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