This week's episode of Wartime Farm saw historian Ruth Goodman getting to grips with the availability of ordinary foodstuffs, rationing and the role the Women’s Institutes played during the war. In Swindon the first meeting of the Food Control Committee took place during the second week of September 1939. It was already anticipated that there would be rationing of butcher’s meat, bacon, butter, margarine, lards, fat and sugar. Chairman of the new committee, Swindon Mayor Harry Hustings, announced that plans for the registration of customers was under way and that forms would be sent to every household within the week. Ration cards would be issued and it was hoped that food queues would be shorter than during the previous war. Mr Hustings commented that as far as he could see there would be little opportunity of profiteering in food stuffs. The rationing of coal as of October 1 was announced and supplies, along with gas and electricity for domestic and sm...