Back to our roots

Something wonderful is sprouting at the National Museum of American History. This past week I was introduced to the Victory Garden that is growing outside the Stars and Stripes Cafe. The Victory Garden is a living exhibition of a successful war department campaign from World War II and only grows plants that would have been available to the public in 1940 or before. 

 

Because of the food shortage in the United States during the war, Americans were encouraged to grow gardens so commercial producers could supply food solely to the military. The war department sponsored propaganda to support the campaign, with slogans emphasizing that “everyone who picked up a garden hoe was a soldier.” Government agencies, private foundations, businesses, schools, and seed companies worked together to provide land, instruction, and seeds to individuals and communities to grow food. The concept of a Victory Garden was born as a result, and led to a surge of home grown produce across the nation. From California to Florida, Americans plowed backyards, vacant lots, parks, baseball fields, and school yards to make room for gardens. Children and adults fertilized, planted, weeded, and watered in order to harvest an abundance of vegetables. During the 1940s, there were more than 18 million gardens nationwide, which accounted for 40 percent of the food production in the United States—impressive to say the least. 

 This is one fad that should make a comeback! If you are looking to “go green,” home-grown produce is an ideal way to achieve your goal. The National Museum of American History has embraced this idea by providing its garden’s bounty to the museum’s Stars and Stripes Cafe. The chefs in the cafe incorporate the garden’s crops in the daily menu. Personally, my 15 minute tour of the Victory garden was enough to inspire me to start growing my own garden. There are multiple benefits to organically-grown vegetables. Not only are you producing healthy, quality food, but you are getting fresh air and some exercise. Plus, gardening can be a great stress reliever, and it can be made into a family or community activity. In today’s age of technology and globalization, it would be nice to have a tangible connection with family, as well as the earth.

Editor's note: This is the first in a series of monthly posts exploring the work of Smithsonian Gardens and its relationship to American history. Smithsonian Gardens creates and manages the Smithsonian’s outdoor gardens, interiorscapes, and horticulture-related collections and exhibits. Check back in October for stories from the fall harvest. You can also follow the Washington Post's "All We Can Eat" blog series Groundwork for veggie tales and recipes from the museum's Victory Garden. 

Patti Plath is an intern with the Office of Public Affairs at the National Museum of American History. 

Comments

[Nigelinspain]

Back in WWII growing your own veg was a big thing, encouraged by the wartime government at the time as so much could be grown at home rather than shipped in in convoys from abroad.

Dieticians have also said that during that time UK had its best nutritional diet it has ever had.

Food for thought

[Gardening Advice]

If the rescession has one positive thing it is that people are going back to producing their own fruit and vegetables. As a garden centre owner I see more people buying vegetable seeds and seedlings. A lot of them though learn the hard way that is more work than they thought it might be.
The good thing about that is that people will appreciate their products much more and also their respect for the farmers producing (organic) vegetables.

[mark a white]

Thanks for some memories you have brought back with this article reminding me of stories my mother used to tell me in the fifties while out helping her with the gardening

my mother used to tell me that in the 40s In the UK they called it Dig for Victory, how everyone worked in thier gardens,

All the woman working in the fields became known as the land army growing Vegitables for the war effort to feed the troops,

I learned a lot from her then about gardening how to make good compost prepare soil ready for growing Vegitables,

It`s because of my mother that I am still a keen With my gardening and still beleive in growing organicly,

There is nothing compared to the taste of freash vegitables that come in straight from the garden,

[Ross]

compost is the foundation of a great soil and the plants that grow in it. The veges provides better nutrition and it should be part of what is taught in schools. great to see this post

[James]

Gardening is an activity that attract and provide many benefits for us. It's true that gardening can relieve stress and make your mind refreshed. So, we don't need to seek treatment when experiencing stress, simply by doing gardening activities. :)

[chris]

This year we planted a vegetable garden with our four year old twins and it was a great experience for the entire family! We harvested tomatoes, egg plants, cucumbers, bell peppers and onions. Although the quantities were small, the meals we prepared with these vegetables were something very special to the kids - and now they know that fruit and vegetableS don´t grow in the supermarket on little plastic trays!

[Jesper]

I love the smell of fresh gardens...
And i just love the idea of having such a large outcome of produce from local small gardens

[Matt]

What a great way to exhibit the WWII-era Victory Gardens.

We have a front-yard organic garden here in Nashville, and it still feels like our patriotic duty to grow some of our own food right here beside our house.

I notice that in our neighborhood, we are the only ones brave enough to dig up a piece of our front yard and replace it with edible plants.

I wish I could check out the exact plants that were available for the Victory Gardens...

[mikebarlow]

I would not be surprised at all to see an explosion in home gardening in the near future due to the desire to reconnect children and nature, the desire to reduce grocery and gasoline costs, and the desire for organic produce.

[Julia]

Wow, that's an amazing statistic about 40% of the US food supply coming from small gardens! I had no idea they were that widespread or productive.

Here in Colorado there's been a big movement towards farmers' markets/local food sourcing, but just growing your own garden seems like it would be an even better way to go.

[jennigolden]

I LOVE this idea! I am also a gardener, fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Gardening is a great stress relief, as well as good exercise. Fun for some quiet time or with family, community, etc. Enjoy!
Kind regards.