Agriculture

 

1941: Agricultural Development Plan

Surrounded by war  neutral Switzerland started their battle of self sufficiency with the Whalen Plan in 1940, its aim was to increase areas of cultivation in every available piece of land digging up sports fields and gardens. It is sometimes referred to as the 'Battle of the Fields'.  Before WW2 Switzerland imported 70% of its food from abroad, by the time it had ended the potato harvest had tripled, cereal doubled and vegetables quadrupled and with this bounty it managed to feed the entire Swiss population and 300,000 refuges. Switzerland was so successful that it became the only country in Europe that did not need to ration potatoes, vegetables and fruit.

1947: Allied Occupation Zones definitives

Once the war was over thoughts turned to reconstruction, the stamps of the sower and harvester were part of a set showing occupations that would work for that purpose and peace doves for hope. These stamps were used in the British, American and Russian occupation zones.

1965: 75th Anniversary Belgium Farmers Association

Another horse pulled plough, always a favourite motif for stamp designers

1950-54: Occupational Activities and Views

Iceland shows off its dramatic scenery with a tractor

2016: World Stamp Show 'NY16', Javits Center

Meanwhile a Guernsey cow is enjoying the sunshine, sometimes called the 'Golden Guernsey' due to its own and the milk's rich colour. The link with the New York exhibition cover is that Guernseys were first imported into the United States by two schooner captains in the 1830s and 1840s and would become the basis of the American Guernsey herd.

1993: Occupations - Cheesemaker

Happily where there is milk there is also cheese.

Sunday Stamps theme of - Agriculture - crops are growing at See It On A Postcard