Americans grew over 20 million gardens during the war. Department of Agriculture promoted Victory Gardens in four major settings. Of course, farms were obvious candidates. Farmers were encouraged to start or expand vegetable gardens and, where possible, plant strawberries, bush fruit, and suitable fruit trees.
By Americans tended over six million farm gardens. Town and suburban gardeners were called on to plant in their back yards or any other "open sunny garden space. These could be set up on vacant lots that were recommended to be 30 by 50 feet or larger and "accessible by bus or street car.
During the long summer vacation, schools could hire local boys to cultivate the gardens "under the watchful supervision of the instructor or a gardener. Officials also offered advice on who should grow, or not grow, a Victory Garden. Rex Putnam, Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction, echoed the caution for fair weather gardeners: "Gardens will not grow on hopes and good intentions. A good garden will require space, fertile soil, and faithful care. Lack of the latter causes many gardens to languish.
Anyone disinclined to care for the garden he plants should desist from gardening 'for the duration' as this is no time to waste precious seed, fertilizer, and insecticides. Families enjoyed planning their Victory Garden for the year. Experts offered advice to novices on how to get the most out of their plot. Folder 13, Box 30, Defense Council, OSA Once they were sure they wanted to garden, citizens had access to a wealth of information about how to proceed. The literature ranged from basic to very detailed since it was designed to help everyone from the first time gardener to the long time gardener looking to increase yields or try new crops.
Most advice told gardeners to choose the plot wisely but chemical soil analysis wasn't needed because "if it grows a fine crop of flowers or weeds, it's soil.
Too much shade could also doom a location. Planning ahead was important so rookie gardeners were told not to let tall crops shade short ones: "Plant climbers, like beans, to the north; short ones, to the south. Your Email:. You deserve a comfortable retirement. Subscribe to After 50 Finances , our weekly newsletter dedicated to people 50 years and older. We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time. It is full of little anecdotes about the period and some of the recipes are excellent.
There are several that use tomato juice in wholly unexpected ways that might prove helpful for parents whose kids think tomatoes are yucky.
Also one suggestion for a Victory Garden dinner that is entirely vegetarian and seemingly yummy. For some great recipes and short stories about the folks who contributed them, check out a copy of the cookbook put out by the Green Thumb Program, which is called Green Thumbs in the Kitchen.
The recipes are primarily from folks who lived through war and depression and could make almost anything with basic staple ingredients.
The short stories they share are just as enjoyable! The Green Thumb program is a federal program which provides part-time employment to senior citizens — one of our countries greatest resources!
My mother-in-law has told me about a shortage of rubber pants for babies during WWII. She solved the problem by buying shower caps at the drugstore and cutting holes for the legs! Marie D. It was 25 cents for two pounds. As I was leaving the house, she would tell me to be sure to ask the butcher for some soup bones and also some suet, which he would happily include in the cent purchase. Joe B. First we had air raid wardens and sky watchers in New York.
No lights to show outside of a home during alerts. Cars had stickers on the windshield that authorized the days and amount you could receive plus gas ration booklets. Food was generally available though soaps, butter and some meat cuts were not easy to get. Chocolate and sugar items were always hard to get, although our family was in the coffee roasting and major brand candy distribution business so we had ours.
We also had meatless Tuesdays. All meat fats bacon grease, etc. We were paid for what we turned in and a lot of us kids made extra money. All bottles were sold with a deposit. Most meat and dairy, clothing and other products were rationed using a book of stamps.
You could trade with other people. All old clothing was collected and sent to where it was needed. Bundles for Britain started before our entry into the war. We had air raid drills in school and usually ducked under our desks. War bonds and savings stamps were constantly being promoted and sold. I was nine years old when the war was declared and remember vividly the sacrifices we made. We lived in a row house in Philadelphia where we had only a small front yard of grass the rest being concrete.
People all over grew vegetables for their own consumption in that grassy area. Butter was rationed as well as meat, shoes, gasoline, sugar. We did not have meat a lot of the time but neither did anyone else. Within that time properties were leased to over three hundred community groups. The program provided monthly, citywide educational workshops dedicated to teaching the fundamentals of growing an individual garden.
Technical assistance and research information were provided to anyone free of charge. Unfortunately, a moratorium on leasing city lots was enacted by the mayor only two years after OGT's inception because of pressure from local land developers.
Most of the gardens have since been destroyed, yet the legacy of the program lives on in and it stands as one of the most successful models for urban food production to date. It would be misleading to think that any urban garden movement would meet the same fate today considering how the economic landscape has been consistently eroded for the past three decades.
Commercial real estate prospecting isn't exactly a viable industry now or for the foreseeable future.
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