Canada Post has unveiled its annual Remembrance Day stamp issue, paying tribute to the “Farmerettes” and “Soldiers of the Soil” who contributed to Canada’s agricultural efforts during the First and Second World Wars.
This two-stamp collection commemorates the young men and women who answered the call to work in Canada’s fields, supporting the nation’s critical food production when it was needed most, according to a press release.
Victory in the two world wars wasn’t achieved by soldiers alone — civilians on the home front were essential, producing food, ammunition, and supplies to sustain the war effort. Canada was a leader in supplying food for Britain and Allied troops, thanks in part to federal and provincial programs that recruited youth to tend the fields after many men left to fight in Europe.
This year’s Remembrance Day stamps honours those who took part in these vital programs, especially the Farmerettes and Soldiers of the Soil.
Farmerettes
In response to the First World War, the Ontario government established the Farm Service Corps, which enlisted high-school girls to work on farms during 1917 and 1918. These young women became known as farmerettes. During the Second World War, over 20,000 girls joined a similar program called the Ontario Farm Service Force’s Farmerette Brigade.
Farmerettes worked on farms, in orchards, and at canneries, often putting in up to 10 hours a day to help produce food for Canadians and support the war effort. They covered their room and board from their hourly wages and provided their own personal items, including work clothing.
Soldiers of the Soil
Launched by the federal government in 1918, the Soldiers of the Soil initiative enlisted teenage boys to work on farms for the duration of the First World War. Over 22,000 young Canadians participated in the program.
These recruits were responsible for planting, tending, and harvesting fruits and vegetables, assisting with haying, and caring for livestock. Upon completing their service, they were “honourably discharged” and received a bronze lapel badge of honor, often presented at community ceremonies to recognize their contributions during wartime.
The Stamps
The two stamps showcase archival photographs of participants in the national Soldiers of the Soil initiative and the Farmerette Brigade of the Ontario Farm Service Force engaged in fieldwork.
The Soldiers of the Soil stamp features a group of young boys harvesting flax in a field near Willowdale, Ontario, around 1917. The Farmerettes stamp depicts four members of the Farmerettes Brigade taking a break from hoeing celery in Thedford, Ontario, in 1945.
Produced by Lowe-Martin, this stamp issue includes a booklet of 10 Permanent™ domestic rate stamps, two Official First Day Covers, and a pane of six stamps.
The Soldiers of the Soil stamp is postmarked in La Rivière, Manitoba, a farming region where some participants were stationed. The Farmerettes stamp is postmarked in St. Catharines, Ontario, where many farmerettes were employed.
These stamps and collectibles can be purchased at canadapost.ca and at postal outlets throughout Canada.
