During World War I there was a server food shortage crisis that spread across Europe. The crisis was a direct result of taking the young farm boys and throwing them into a horrible, bloody battle. Farmlands were completely destroyed from their transformation into battlefields, devastation was present and starvation on the horizon. The United States was working on a solution to help and created the National War Garden Commission, and launch the War Garden Campaign that was organized by Charles Lathrop Pack, weeks before the USA entered The War. Pack and others thought that through using land and people who where not engaged in the war to produce food, it would create some surplus to send to the allies over seas in need. He also thought to cultivate private and public land that was not in use. He envisioned parks, vacant lots, company property, schools and people in their backyards all growing food together to help the cause in patriotic solidarity. They created War Propaganda posters to get people to garden, and just like that a movement was started. The War Gardens.
Women's clubs jumped in to distribute leaflets that taught people how to grow their own food at home. They also planted and tended gardens in their local parks. Chamber of commerce and civic associations also jumped on board encouraging everyone who participated to campaign aggressively.
Imagine all around home gardeners passing out pamphlets that detailed the process of when and how to plant, as well as trouble shooting tips on diseases and pest problems. It was so enthusiastically received by the general public that the government switched gears and started focusing on distributing canning and drying manuals so that they were prepared to preserve the surplus crops that were going to be harvested from the new War Gardens. Another garden initiative was the Us School Garden Army, it urged children to enlist as “soldiers of the soil”
Children in victory garden New York.
As a result of these programs 3 million new garden plots were sowed in 1917 and by 1918 it had grown to 5.2 million plots. The estimation on the amount of canned fruits and vegetables canned is 1.45 million quarts. Impressive cornucopia!
World War II, Victory Gardens Continue.
And so we find ourselves in another global war, and once again the need for citizens to produce their own produce was ever nigh.
Victory Garden Propaganda video WWII
Short film on victory gardens and how to grow food, 1941.
Victory garden propaganda video WWII
Victory gardens WWII
The food rationing had come back with the war, and so did the War Gardens. There was a radio shows dedicated to teaching people to grow food, and creating a sense of communal support and renews sense of community. The solidarity of independent citizens collectively taking care of themselves through neighboring lands.
It was heavily emphasized to the American public at the time that every bit of food that could be grow in urban settings would help lower the prices of food so we could feed our soldiers over seas. One poster reads "Our Food Is Fighting".
By May of 1943 there were 18 million War Gardens in the United States, 12 million in cities and 6 million on farms. That is a truly amazing revolution!
Everywhere people had torn out their lawns and once more and planted life-giving food.
San Francisco installed 800 plots in their golden gate park, the city came together to plant and play. Their Victory Gardens was one of the biggest in the country.
Professor Harry Nelson of San Francisco Shows daughter and friends how to grow food.
I believe in urban farming with my whole heart, and this piece of history proves we could change the world and help end hunger if we re learn to grow food instead of lawns. It would be good for our minds, body and souls to reconnect with nature and to give a sense of confidence that comes with knowing that you are creating your own destiny. I believe in us, we can shift the world into a more positive path. Learn to be neighbors, and a community again.
Thank you for reading this post. This was a special one for me because it gives me hope that we may once again take back control of our lives and food supply, it has been done before. War sucks, its sad and horrible. But if you look closely you see that sometime in the dark times people stand up and do remarkable things collectively. I feel this time gently on the breeze. Will you plant a garden with me?
Big Love.
Ren
Love this. You put in a lot of time looking for these historical images. My fav has to be Batman, Robin and Superman in the garden!
Thank you! I did take a lot of time, two days to gather all of them. But it was such a cool journey and every one I found was like gold. Thank you for reading my blog! My favorite one is the batman and friends too, I was surprised to find so much propaganda in old comic books, makes since though.
What an awesome movement. Well!! war did bring in something good after all. you are correct. we do need such a movement to happen once again. In the form of organic farming. You have written it beautifully, @lifemovedbysteem. And the pictures you have dug out are superb. Love this post
Thank you so much @nehab! Organic home farms are part of the key, I really think our world is ripe for this movement again. Imagine the whole world adopting growing food at home, cities balconies and decks filled with food producing plants. That picture of the future makes me hopeful and happy. I am glad you read my blog.
I think so too, @lifemovedbysteem. We do need to get into it in a large scale. Here we call it "Kitchen Garden" . Yes. Replenishing nature and becoming self sufficient and coexisting with animals and environment without hurting it is the key to the new world. The new consciousness. 😊
What a beautiful thing! I like the term "kitchen garden".
:) :)
Loved the history behind this. Maybe someday we will begin to reconnect with our food. Until then you will continue to inspire :)
Thank you so much @calatorulmiop! We will someday reconnect with our food, it is our future. The one that brings happiness and value. We can learn so much from our history, the peoples DNA we share. They also had problems like some of the things we are facing right now. Looking at their solutions can help us come up with ideas and how we don't want to do things.
Wow!! I had never heard of this before! I too believe that small farms are the way to a healthy future! Thanks for sharing! 👍
I am so glad to share this with you! We can rebuild the future together by learning to take care of ourselves and others through farming. I love how Urban farming was responsible for a lot of the produce produced. I think a lot of people just don't know its possible. Thank you for reading my blog, and for believing in small farms!
A beautifully written and well put together post. Definitely will follow, up vote, and resteem.
Thank you so much @mudcat36! I am so glad you enjoyed it, hope you have a great day.
Wow, great compilation of historic pics. Planting a garden seems so simplistic of an answer, but truly brilliant. Food is a necessity and growing your own is empowering.
It is empowering knowing that you can provide food from the soil for yourself. It instills a sense of confidence and solves so many problems. Saves money. It provided 40% of the produce for the USA during the war. Home gardens could be a big part of our hunger and dependence on corporate economy solution. We just have to be willing to be creative.
Beautiful pictures! Upvoted and followed! :-)
Thanks for sharing! :-)
Thank you @as-I-see-it! Hope you are enjoying your Autumn.
You're very welcome. :-)
Thank you for your reply! :-)
Enjoying the Autumn pretty much. Soon it will be the rainy season here. Then I will enjoy the rain! :-)
Wishing you happiness, smiles, sweet dreams and sunshine! :-)
It's funny how the government used to promote self sufficiency but now constantly try to crush it.
Different agendas back then, it's up to us to promote it now. It is ironic, now they are tearing them out of the cities, I hope it goes back to helping the people grow and stand on their own two feet. Thanks for reading.
Thanks for reading.