Cultivating for the Cause: Victory Gardens Till New Ground
Officials reminded Americans that a well planned Victory Garden was not only patriotic, but also could provide a family with plenty of nutritious and tasty food. (Folder 18, Box 28, Defense Council, OSA)
"If It Grows a Fine Crop of Flowers
or Weeds, It's Soil."
America had a well deserved reputation as a land of plenty, but World War
II challenged the nation's ability to grow and distribute enough food.
Millions of farmers and farm laborers
had streamed into the military or to high paying defense industry jobs,
leading to a severe farm labor shortage. At the same time, the United
States bore the additional responsibility of providing vast amounts
of food to allies such as Britain, China, and the Soviet Union, hoping
to prevent their collapse. To boost production and ease the strain on the
transportation
system, Victory Gardens sprouted across the country, as many Americans learned
the pleasure of getting dirty for a patriotic cause.
Why Victory Gardens?
Officials cited several reasons why Americans should grow their own food.
Even with boosts in farm production goals, citizens were told that the
needs were "so great that every food production resource must be mobilized
to meet the demand." About 25 percent of total food production in 1943
went to the armed forces and to the allies, with each soldier needing
a ton of food a year. Moreover, partly because of tin shortages and
the military needs, canned food was in short supply and came under rationing
regulations. This left millions of Americans habituated to eating canned
foods looking at increasingly bare grocery store shelves. Fresh fruits
and vegetables were not rationed but, according to officials, "the wartime
burden on the Nation's transportation system will make it impossible
to ship over long distances the normal amount of fresh vegetables and
fruits, especially the more bulky vegetables. This will require production
of more of the civilian supplies close to consuming areas."(1)
Mickey Mouse got into the act of promoting the Green Thumb Contest, which was open to both adult and young gardeners. (Folder 13, Box 30, Defense Council, OSA)
Contestants filled out charts recording their planting and harvesting information such as what was planted, the crop yield, and how it was used after harvesting. Additionally, contestants could write "short stories" about their gardens and send in pictures. Judges on the local, state, and national levels took into account neatness and originality, planting arrangement, choice of crops and varieties, crop yields, and how the crop was used to determine winners. Perhaps mostly for the bleary-eyed judges, children were advised that "since it is important to keep this Record Book clean and neat, it is suggested that you do not take it into the garden...."(view PDF-6 pages)(9)
Authorities also provided citizens with selfish reasons to have a Victory Garden. Home gardeners wouldn't have to worry about crop failures in other parts of the country or about transportation "bottlenecks" limiting supply. They would save money too since "even a small garden, if well planned and tended, will yield $25 to $50 worth of vegetables." People with Victory Gardens would be healthier since "there's nothing like exercise and better meals to improve your health, which is doubly important in wartime." And, officials asserted, home grown food is tastier: "It's not only because you raised it yourself, with sweat and care. Vegetables and fruits do have a better flavor when they are really fresh, as they are when they come right from the garden." And for those suffering from wartime anxiety, "there isn't a better hobby for lots of people. It makes you feel good. It relaxes your nerves. It's a family enterprise that brings together father, mother, son and daughter." Even the community benefits of gardening could make the individual feel better since gardens "promote neighborliness, sociability, cooperation." And, with home gardeners providing 40 percent of the country's fresh vegetables by 1944, the individual could rightly feel patriotic about the contribution.(2)
A woman snacks on a carrot, part of a basketful of bounty from a Victory Garden. Americans grew over 20 million gardens during the war. (Folder 13, Box 30, Defense Council, OSA)
The U.S. 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, to plant strawberries, bush fruit, and suitable fruit trees. By 1944 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." Suburban property owners, with typically larger lots, were asked to plant more fruit "wherever space permits." While some people living in cities, such as Portland, could plant in back yards or street right of ways, many relied on community gardens. 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." Officials also called on schools to grow gardens, hoping to supply school lunches in the process. During the long summer vacation, schools could hire local boys to cultivate the gardens "under the watchful supervision of the instructor or a gardener."(3) Overall, American's responded by tending over 20 million Victory Gardens during the war.
Families enjoyed planning their Victory Garden for the year. Experts offered plenty of 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 very 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 of the 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." Still, they were to be wary of "the usual kind of city lots where soil is mostly cinders and rubbish." Gardeners were admonished to avoid using too much seed and planting too much of one thing. Too much shade could also doom a location. Thus, 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." Of course, to be vigilant against weeds and insects they had to "be ready with spray gun and duster and the proper death-dealing ammunition."(5)
Enlarge image
Officials promoted Victory Gardens as a way to stretch valuable rations. As an
added benefit, it was a positive way for families to spend time together. (Image
no. ww1645-38 courtesy Northwestern
University)
Enlarge image
Victory Gardens provided plenty of nutritious food for healthier meals. (Image
no. ww0870-05 courtesy Northwestern
University)
While Victory Gardens grew around the state, they perhaps had their biggest impact in the urban setting of the Portland area. Thousands of new gardeners took to the plots. By May 1943, just the children alone were cultivating an amazing 135 acres of land, with more than 2,000 young people participating in the Victory Garden program. All of the schools took part by instructing fifth grade through high school students during class time. The actual gardening would be done outside of school hours with each student being registered for an individual garden area. "Important-looking" V-garden signs that included no trespassing warnings were also given to each student. Concerned with rising juvenile delinquency, school authorities thought it was "better for children to have gardens than to be entirely unoccupied when school is over." And at least one teacher, Miss Maude Mattley, thought that the children made good gardeners: "...it is safe to say that most of these young gardeners were far better prepared to start out with a hoe and a rake than the average adult victory gardener."(7)
Meanwhile, adults streamed into Portland area classes to become better gardeners. The local victory garden committee offered the free classes throughout the city. By May 1943, 12 classes were underway with more planned. While some children attended, most of the students ranged from 20 years old to over 70. Taught by experienced volunteers, the weekly classes took place in schools, private homes, or "wherever the requisite space is available." Lessons highlighted each class but question and answer sessions were a popular component. According to one teacher: "We try to keep the subject matter seasonal and very practical. What to do this week, what things to plant, how to care for the things already set out...just whatever is timely." While many of the classes were held in the evening, some daytime classes were offered for the large number of defense industry workers on "swing shift," often from 4 p.m. to midnight. The classes were becoming popular in the defense housing areas and organizers wanted to "start a class for gardeners in Vanport City and Kaiserville, and have more than 200 names signed up for membership."(8)
Notes:
1. "Book IV The Victory Garden Campaign,"
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1943. Pages 1-2, Folder 13, Box 30,
Defense Council Records, OSA.
2. "The Facts About 1945 Victory Gardens," U.S. Department
of Agriculture, 1945. Folder 13, Box 30, Defense Council Records, OSA.
3. "Book IV The Victory Garden Campaign," U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1943. Pages 2-3, Folder 13, Box 30, Defense Council Records,
OSA.
4. "How Will Your Garden Grow?" Oregon Department of
Education Newsletter, February 1943. Page 2, Folder 28, Box 29, Oregon
State Library Records, OSA.
5. "Victory Garden Leader's Handbook," U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1943. Pages 14-15, Folder 13, Box 30, Defense Council Records,
OSA.
6. "What the Extension Service of Oregon State College Is Doing on
the Victory Garden Program," Oregon State College, June 17, 1943.
Folder 13, Box 30, Defense Council Records,
OSA.
7. "2000 Children Raise Vegetables As 4-H Club Enterprise," The Oregonian,
May 30, 1943, Farm Section, Page 2.
8. "'Swing Shift' Gardening Classes Prove latest Development In Producing
More Vegetables in Portland and Oregon Country," The Oregonian,
May 9, 1943, Farm Section, Page 1.
9. "Green Thumb Contest Record Book," National Victory Garden
Institute, Inc., 1944. Folder 13, Box 30, Defense Council Records,
OSA.