Victory Gardens: A Comeback Story

It’s time for victory gardens to make a comeback. Victory gardens are community-organized or residential sustainable gardens containing vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Laura Lawson explained it best in her book City Bountiful: A Century of Community Gardening in America; Lawson defines victory gardens as gardens that were planted in both private residential and public spaces to reduce pressure on rationing during World War I and World War II. They were also referred to as “war gardens” or “food gardens for defense”, and were highly promoted through war propaganda in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Germany. Lawson also states that these gardens were a major focus during wartime not only to help bring relief to the rationing system but also to boost morale during a hard time for citizens. 

Sourced: https://americanhistory.si.edu/advertising-war/women-and-war

Victory gardens started popping up everywhere, from lawns and backyards in homes across America, to public land in cities such as San Francisco, Chicago, and New York. At a certain point, victory gardens were producing nearly half of the nation's produce. It saved a lot of money and helped communities come together for the common good of people during high anxiety wartime. Golden Gate Park was home to over two hundred gardens in the 1940s, all community organized.

Now, it is an uncertain time not only in America but for the entire world, as we stay home away from friends and family and do everything we can to stay healthy and safe for the good of everyone. Going to the grocery store has taken on a whole new meaning and has left a lot of people at a loss on how to feed themselves and their families consistently. Going beyond just the consumers' experience, farmers, food distributors, factory workers and grocery store workers are working insane hours, and grinding to the bone to make sure we do not enter into a food shortage. I have been sending love and energy to our amazing farmers and migrant farm workers every day, and have been expressing my immense gratitude for all the hard work they are enduring to keep us healthy and fed. However, we can do something more than just sending them love, we can relieve the pressure and make our way back to the victory garden. 

I’ve always believed that if everyone grew their own food, the world would be a much happier and healthier place, and now with what we’re facing collectively, it has become a necessity. Even starting small by growing herbs and lettuces can have a huge impact if we all do it together. It is time for us to step up and get back to our roots of growing food… we have the time and we have the resources. We all must commit to this being part of the new normal, returning to nature is a must. Not only does growing your own food provide you and your family with an amazing resource for healthy eating, but it ultimately saves you money and is very beneficial to your mental health. Communing with plants has been scientifically proven to ease anxiety and have extreme calming effects on the body. I am surrounded by plants in my home and can attest to that. 

I know this is a call to action and declaration in many ways, but you can start with just a single plant! Start by getting a few herbs to sit on your kitchen windowsill, or order a microgreens tray online, or buy lettuce starts, some soil, and a large pot! There are so many easy ways to get into growing food, and I am here to be your guide. Eventually you might find yourself immersed in a huge harvest that you grew yourself for your family! It is possible to garden, and it is calling your name. The social world is asking you to stay home, but mother earth is asking you to garden. Let’s bring the victory garden back, not just for now, but permanently. 

If you have any questions, concerns, or want to work with me directly and be guided through the process of starting your home garden, send me your information on my website. This is my calling as an Earth Witch, to bring the magic of plants into your home, one seed at a time.