Reviving the Victory Garden

Freedom Gardening in Response to the Current Economic Downturn

Feb 13, 2009

WWI Victory Garden Poster, US Government

Victory gardens were a mainstay of America's WWI and WWII food production programs. For many of the same reasons, Freedom Gardens are gaining popularity.

During World Wars I and II, labor and transportation shortages made it difficult to move fresh produce from farms to local markets. Diversion of many foodstuffs to soldiers on the battlefront led to widespread rationing.

The US government asked Americans to plant “Victory Gardens” to provide themselves with herbs, fruits and vegetables and to supplement the war effort. During the mid-1940s, nearly 20 million citizens raised crops on city lots, in backyards, in containers, and on rooftops. At one time, Victory Gardens accounted for up to 40% of all vegetable produce consumed in this country.

Now, many communities are reviving the 20th-century idea of Victory Gardens, both as a statement of concern for the environment and in an effort to provide fresh, reasonably-priced produce for local neighborhoods. Forums for “Freedom Gardens” are taking root in forward-thinking municipalities and on the Internet.

As spring 2009 steps over the threshold, Americans are once again facing tumultuous times. Economic demands are forcing many people to cut back on budgets and set new financial priorities. And, if energy prices once more climb to historically high levels—as many experts predict—individual out-of-pocket expenditures for food will inevitably increase.

Global warming—having recently taken a back seat to concerns about a collapsing global economy—remains a clear and present danger: The process of cultivating, fertilizing, packaging and transporting food an average of 1500 miles from farm to kitchen consumes an inordinate amount of energy.

The additional cost of gasoline that is consumed by families when they drive to stores to purchase food is not insubstantial. Homegrown produce is, in most cases, only a few steps from one’s door.

The thought of raising produce may seem daunting for a neophyte or a city dweller who has limited space, but a garden doesn’t have to be ostentatious to be worthwhile.

Options for Freedom Gardeners (Victory Gardeners)

If space is at a premium, tomatoes, eggplants, strawberries, zucchini, and many other crops can be successfully grown in containers on porches, patios, or balconies.
If space is extremely tight, it’s possible to grow sprouts and herbs on a windowsill.
If one’s yard is already landscaped, many vegetables make aesthetically-pleasing accents alongside flowers, shrubs, statues, and walkways.
Wide and thirsty expanses of lawn can be converted to garden space relatively easily. Some gardeners have simply laid several layers of newspaper over existing grass and covered it with topsoil (it pays to kill or remove the grass first, though).
Community gardens are springing up in many localities. Some may charge modest rent (for water, property taxes, etc.), while some may be free for the taking. Most have waiting lists, though, so it’s worth signing up in advance.
Elderly, disabled, or time-constrained neighbors might allow someone else to set up a garden in their yard in exchange for some of the garden’s bounty.
In many communities, farmers’ markets or Community Supported Agriculture programs make locally-grown produce available to citizens who simply can’t raise their own gardens.

Victory, or Freedom, Gardens aren’t simply a source of readily-available produce during times of necessity. They provide us with a sense of community, a therapeutic break from our cares, and a real bulwark against calamity.

And the fruits, vegetables, and herbs that grow in backyard gardens always seem to taste better…

The copyright of the article Reviving the Victory Garden in Vegetable Gardens is owned by Stephen Allen Christensen. Permission to republish Reviving the Victory Garden in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.