The University of Iowa Libraries

The Sharon Township Farm Bureau Women's Club began in 1953 as an auxiliary of the Johnson County Farm Bureau. Club women lived in rural areas of Sharon Township near the towns of Kalona, Riverside, and Iowa City. The club's bi-monthly meetings provided the township women opportunities to socialize with other rural women, to educate themselves, and to work together to provide service to their community in the form of scholarships, workdays, and fundraising.

The programming included guest speakers and demonstrations on various topics such as cooking, sewing, gardening, and agricultural life. The club worked closely with local 4-H groups and other townships nearby. Some examples of service the club provided to the community were offering scholarships, service projects, workdays, fundraising, and volunteering.

The Sharon Township Farm Bureau Women's Club records measure 2.5 linear inches and date from 1953 to 1985. They primarily consist of secretary's books (1953-1985). Membership, volunteer, and call lists are also in the collection. An Iowa Farm Bureau Women's Program guidebook completes this collection.

The records illustrate social and cultural activities of rural women in this time period. The minutes, written by the club's secretary, describe the attendance and content of the club's meetings. They outline the old and new business of each meeting and describe the social events of the club, and future goals of the club. The lists are a collection of membership, address, volunteer, and call lists of the club. The Iowa Farm Bureau Women's Club Opportunities for Involvement Guidebook was the 1985-86 book that included township and county meeting planners for the year and the American Farm Bureau Mission Statement.

Access: The records are open for research.

Use: Copyright held by the donor has been transferred to The University of Iowa.

Acquisition: The records (donor no. 720) were donated by Doris Moore in 2000.

Preferred Citation: Sharon Township Farm Bureau Women's Club records, Iowa Women's Archives, The University of Iowa Libraries, Iowa City.

Repository:	Iowa Women's Archives
Address:	100 Main Library University of Iowa Libraries Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone:	319-335-5068
Curator:	Kären Mason
Email:	lib-women@uiowa.edu
Website:	http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/iwa

This collection is indexed under the following subject terms.

Corporate Names:
Sharon Township Farm Bureau Women's Club (Johnson County, Iowa)

Dates:
20th century

Topics:
Rural women
Cooking
Sewing
Gardening
Agriculture
Social participation
Clubs

Occupations:
Farmers

Geographic Names:
Johnson County (Iowa)

Genre/Form of Materials:
Archives
Administrative records

Browse:
Rural and Farm Women
Women's Clubs and Organizations