Farming Resources – Home Bureau

She advocated for home improvements, better record keeping, and worked to teach farm wives ways to improve their families’ health and safety.

While many farmers had wind, horse, or engine powered pumps for watering for their livestock, their wives were still expected to pump and carry water from the well for cooking meals, cleaning, and doing laundry.

Brian advocated for better equipped kitchens, including running water and electricity inside the home.

Brian recommended replacing germ-harboring outhouses with indoor toilets.

The arrival of indoor plumbing and electricity also meant hot water for bathing and doing laundry.

The McLean County Home Bureau advisor dramatically reduced the instances of illness caused from eating contaminated food by teaching safe methods for preserving meats and vegetables.

Demonstrations, like the one pictured here of outdoor home canning, were key to Brian’s educational efforts.

Hot lunches for children attending rural one-room schools were also implemented through the efforts of Clara Brian.

By 1919 Rockford School in Anchor township served hot lunches to its students. You can see the equipment in the back-left corner of the image.

WJBC Farm Show

Beginning in 1941 WJBC radio hosted a one-hour farm show Mondays through Saturdays from 6 to 7 a.m.

The show featured news on farm markets, weather and crop reports, social and business activities of the Farm Bureau, and “farm flashes.” WJBC also offered a 15-minute farm update report to listeners every day of the week from 11:45 to noon.