The farmer became a popular character in the promotion
of canned food products after the Civil War, when canned goods and
can openers were readily available to the public. Until the advent
of canned foods, people were accustomed to growing and preserving
their own produce. By the 1890s, agriculture had become mechanized
and commercialized. Offering canned goods to the public with a farmer
depicted on the label connected the products to the farm and, by
extension, to the land.
The Farmers Pride label showed an old farmer and young child together,
although there were many variations on the scene. This mix of generations
implied the progress of time. The child is also a symbol of purity—an
important message for the marketers of canned foods.
Farmers Pride brand was once a best-selling brand for canned fruits
and vegetables in the Indiana-Illinois border area surrounding Terre
Haute. Today a line of jams, jellies and preserves carry the Farmers
Pride label.
