Compiled to give readers information on current research in household production, this special issue focuses on the family as a provider of goods and services. It includes five feature articles, a summary of a survey of American farm women, and a brief analysis of sources of time-use data for estimating the value of household production. Covered in the first article is the household and farm task participation of women. The work load of married women is also examined. Measuring household production for the Gross National Product is the subject of the next article. Also discussed is the relationship of time, dual careers, and household productivity. New methods are described for studying household production. The final feature article deals with the issue of whether or not the modern housewife is a lady of leisure. Also included are a summary of a study on the use of time in rural and urban families and data on food costs in various regions of the United States. (MN)