The indispensable nature of wives' work for the farm family enterprise

Abstract

Cet article soutient que les contributions des épouses des exploitants agricoles sont essentielles à la survivance de l'entreprise familiale. Notre étude de cas de St‐Charles, Québec, confirme l'importance qu'attachent les autres recherches aux multiples dimensions du rôle de l'épouse de l'exploitant agricole. Cependant, le rapport des biens, les méthodes de la collection des données, le cadre de la recherche et les fémmes elles‐mêmes ne tiennent pas compte de ce rôle, le sous‐estiment, n'y attachent aucune importance ou le cachent. Cet article met en question un tel traitement et une telle perception du role de la femme dans l'exploitation agricole et revendique l'identification des forces qui ont mystifiées notre opinion du travail en général et du travail des épouses des exploitants en particulier. Toute analyse du domaine de l'exploitation agricole qui omet ou n'attache aucune importance au travail des femmes présente un apercu trompeur des structures agricoles. This paper argues that the contributions of farm wives are essential for the survival of the farm family enterprise. Our case study of St‐Charles, Quebec, confirms the emphasis of other studies on the multi‐dimensional role of the farm wife. However, property relations, methods of data collection, research frameworks and the women themselves ignore, underestimate, de‐emphasize or conceal this role. This paper questions such treatment and the perception of women's role in farming and calls for the identification of forces that have mystified our view of work in general, and farm wives' work in particular. Any analysis of farming which omits or de‐emphasizes wives' work presents a misleading view of agricultural structures.

Deconstructing Community

“…We need a model that can adequately capture both patterns of attachment and exclusion (Willmott ; Young ; Silk ; Schafft and Brown ). Furthermore community members can find themselves reified into one‐dimensional class or gender subjects by this approach (Ghorayshi , Jackson ; Little and Austin ; Winson ). A more holistic view of individual actors, is needed that can account for subjectivities that incorporate a range of contradictory features beyond basic materialistic standpoints.…”

“…Reflecting the impact of exogenous ideologies and patriarchal practices, women and girls may be systematically denied a sense of personhood (Yodanis ). The fight for property inheritance rights has marked a dramatic change in gender relations in farming communities the world over since the 1970s (Little ; Ghorayshi ; Sachs ). Exploitative relationships are another source of exclusion based on interest.…”

Sociology and Anthropology.

“…The distinction is not clear-cut between these women, which I refer to as professional woman farmers or just women farmers, and farm women or farmers' wives 7 who contribute significantly to the farm indirectly through household activities. As much of the literature on women in agriculture points out, this latter status is an unfair description of these women since they are fundamental to the functioning of the farm (Ghorayshi 1989;Shaver 1996;Shortall 1993;Whitmore 1991 consistently able to name more women farmers than the men I spoke with. This is likely a product of both women paying more attention to the women farmers they encounter, as well as being more predisposed to identify women as farmers as opposed to farm women.…”

“…Several researchers have shown that much of women's work and overall contribution to the success of the farm is generally invisible and undervalued (Ghorayshi 1989;Reimer 1986;Shaver 1996;Shortall 1993;Whatmore 1991). They show that the constructed boundaries of farming as a male activity and women as caregivers are difficult to move beyond, even when they are not a reflection of the actual workload.…”

“…Much of this literature focuses on the male dominance of the sector and its relationship to women's lesser positions of power (Liepens 1998;Shortall 1999;Whatmore 1991), the undervaluing of their work (Ghorayshi 1989;Reimer 1986;Shaver 1996;Shortall 1993;Whatmore 1991), and the difficulty of gaining acceptance in their role as farmers (Leckie 1998;Pini 2005;Nieman 1996;Shortall 1992). These are all characteristic of what I refer to as the dominant social space.…”