Victory Gardens

[Petee]

THE INTRODUCTION OF VICTORY GARDENS

By:Jo Merrell

 

In 1917 millions of people were starving in Europe as a result of World War I raging and utilizing many agriculture workers in military operations.  Farms became battlefields and left millions of people starving.  The burden of feeding the desperate masses fell to the United States.  In March, just before the US entered the war, the National War Garden Commission was organized for the purpose of encouraging Americans to contribute by growing their own food so that more could be sent to our allies.  People were encouraged to use any idle land, schools, vacant lots, parks and backyards.  Everyone encouraged it through clubs, pamphlets and the Bureau of Education even initiated a US School Garden Army to get children to enlist as “soldiers of the soil.”  The result was three million plots in 1917, 5.2 million by 1918.  By the end of the War they were dubbed “Victory Gardens.”

By 1941 we were once again embroiled in conflict, World War II.  Crops were diverted to the military overseas and with the beginning of food rationing in 1942, there was great incentive to grow one’s own vegetables leading to a resurgence of Victory Gardens.  They were everywhere from flower boxes to backyards to rooftops in cities.  Against Department of Agriculture protest, Eleanor Roosevelt even planted a Victory Garden at the White House! 

The most popular crops were beans, beets, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, kolrabi, kale, lettuce, squash and swiss chard was actually introduced to the US because it was easy to grow!  By 1942 there were 15M family gardens, by 1944 there were 20M, producing 8M tons of fruit and vegetables or 40% of all that was used in the US.  To give this a little perspective, 1M tons is the equivalent of 120,000 elephants or 17,000 army tanks!

In both wars, Victory Gardens were created out of a sense of patriotism.  They boosted morale and avoided food shortages.  Government promotion ended but we have seen a resurgence in recent years in an effort to be more self-sufficient, to eat seasonally and improve health through local and sustainable agriculture.  As we navigate the uncertain times ahead through this pandemic that leaves no one untouched, perhaps it is time to raise our spades and once again do what we can to all get through it together.

Jo Merrell is a Penn State Extension Master Gardener of Centre County.