Posted on 01/10/2009 6:05:11 PM PST by nickcarraway
I can remember my mother talking about the victory garden she had in the backyard of their home during World War II. My dad was in the Navy in the Pacific theater during the war and my mother felt that she was supporting the war effort with her little garden.
If you look up victory gardens you will find that during World War I and World War II, the government asked the residents of the United States to plant gardens in order to support the war effort. It was one way to bring the people together in support of a common goal and to make them feel that they were contributing to the war effort. It is estimated that millions of people planted gardens. In one article that I read it is recorded that “in 1943, Americans planted over 20 million victory gardens, and the harvest accounted for nearly a third of all the vegetables consumed in the country that year.” The article also stated “emphasis was placed on making gardening a family or community effort, not a drudgery, but a pastime, and a national duty.”
Jump forward to 2009. Given the not so rosy economic picture that the country and individuals are facing maybe we need to revisit the victory garden concept. If you go to www.revivevictorygarden.org/ you will find info on victory gardens. Victory gardens are not much different from vegetable gardens of today and the gardening principles and practices followed in the victory gardens are still the ones we use today in our gardens.
I would say that during World War I and World War II, everyone was encouraged to plant a garden, even if it was a small container on the patio or balcony.
Think if everyone planted some kind of a garden today. The amount of produce produced would be considerable and would dramatically increase the consumption of fresh and locally produced nutritious vegetables that would add to the well-being and health of our society, not to mention the positive impact to the family budget.
I am sure that many of the vegetables produced in the victory gardens were also canned and put up for use during the winter months, which in our society today is a dying art, but one that could be revived.
I see many positive aspects of encouraging victory gardens today. It seems to me that they hit the nail on the head when they said, “emphasis was placed on making gardening a family or community effort, not a drudgery, but a pastime, and a national duty.”
It seems to me that we need more of that kind of activity, commitment and spirit in society today. Make plans to have an economic victory garden in 2009.
“I see many positive aspects of encouraging victory gardens today. “
Everything tastes better for starters.
I’ve been wanting to plant a garden since we moved to this house. I have one area that I usually put flowers in, but this year, I think I’ll make it a fully functioning garden.
I think my kids will also have fun working in the garden.
And you get to decide how to control the weeds and bugs.Avoiding the pesticides and herbicides used in commercial vegtable farming would be a big plus.
Yep, I like that site Brads Gramma.
For those who live in a small space or a space that does not have a yard:
KITCHEN GARDENS
http://www.google.com/search?&rls=en&q=kitchen+gardens&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
I’m thinking about a second garden. I have a spot over the drainfield where the grass needs to be mowed about twice as often as the rest of the yard.
I enjoy gardening though the weeds usually win. I really wish the President or Homeland Security would push this concept. Americans need to be more independent in the event of a crisis.
Are you implying that my dogs have totally trashed the back yard, and other than the pool....
:)
:)
:)
THANKS for the links!
Great site, THANKS!
See Cindy’s link in #6, too..
I don’t spray and actually end up with more peaches, apples, pears, and cherries than people in town who do spray.
Something tells me the bees prefer my garden.
There’s wild fruit, free for the picking: raspberries, blackberries, blueberries. In urban areas, such as Boston, the large cemeteries are a great place to find wild berries.
Try raised beds. I built mine using 1x12 inch cedar planks. I stacked them two high and not only does it keep the weed seeds from blowing in, I can harvest without bending.
I remember our victory garden. Neighbors planted it and shared the food...it would have been 1943.
Something tells me you’re right.
Good pruning and keeping weeds and debris away from the trees might be your secret.
You might try some of that black plastic covering in the rows. The space between the rows can be controled with a good rototiller.
“There’s wild fruit, free for the picking...”
Amen to that! There’s also an awful lot to eat from the average un-treated lawn.
My BIL found a ton of wild grapes along a busy local highway on year. He picked them, then gave everyone in the family a jar of ‘Traffic Jam.’ LOL! Clever. :)
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