Back to SearchGrand Bend, ON - A largely forgotten chapter of Canadian history will be brought to light as the documentary film "We Lend A Hand: The Forgotten Story of Ontario Farmerettes" makes its Sarnia premiere on Thursday, June 12, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. at the Sarnia Library Theatre.
Led by Historical Producer Bonnie Sitter, and Director/Producer Colin Field, the documentary tells the extraordinary story of 40,000 teenage girls who volunteered on Canadian farms during and after World War II and helped sustain the nation's food supply when young men left to fight overseas. The project was made possible through support from the Creative County Grant Program.
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 Bonnie 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 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,” says Bonnie. "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”.
Director Colin Field first met Bonnie in 2019 and was inspired by her research and desire to bring this forgotten Canadian story to life. He proposed a documentary film, and Bonnie agreed to fundraise to bring the project to life. Colin interviewed 20 Farmerettes - now in their 90s - for the documentary, and after two years of work, and with the help of sponsors and generous donors, “We Lend a Hand” is finally complete.
“It has been a privilege to travel the province and hear the stories of these surviving Farmerettes,” Field said. “If it wasn't for these girls, the soldiers wouldn't have had food to eat and the economy would have ground to a halt”.
Lambton County played a significant role in the farmerette program, particularly around the Thedford area where many young women volunteered to work in onion and celery fields to maintain food supplies during the war. An exhibit on The Ontario Farm Service Force, which was established in 1941 to recruit these young women as part of a war effort, is featured at the Lambton Heritage Museum. The museum website also features an online exhibit showcasing photographs and stories of local farmerettes and providing insight into the daily lives of these young women, from their farm work and living conditions to the lifelong friendships they formed. The Farmerettes virtual exhibit can be accessed on the Lambton Heritage Museum website at lambtonmuseums.ca/farmerettes.
Lambton Heritage Museum’s Curator/Supervisor Dana Thorne, who will be hosting a Q&A session with Bonnie and Colin following the premiere at Sarnia Library Theatre on June 12, is encouraged to see the story brought to film. "The County of Lambton commends Bonnie and Colin for their work in documenting this important story, and raising awareness of the role played by the Farmerettes during World War II,” said Thorne. “We invite everyone to explore the online exhibit before attending the premiere to gain additional context about the farmerettes' experiences in Lambton County."
Tickets for the June 12Sarnia Premiere of "We Lend A Hand: The Forgotten Story of Ontario Farmerettes" at the Sarnia Library Theatre can be purchased at welendahand.ca/events. All proceeds support the cost of the documentary film production. A screening will also be held at the Kineto Theatre in Forest on July 24 at 7:00 p.m.
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Please contact:
Dana Thorne
Curator / Supervisor, Lambton Heritage Museum
County of Lambton
519-243-2600 ext. 3151
Email Dana Thorne
Bonnie Sitter
Historical Producer
519-235-1909
bonnie.sitter@gmail.com
Colin Field
Director, Albireo Films
519-619-7940
albireofilms@gmail.com
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