Photo : caroline taylor
By Mary E . Kingsley
Victory gardens for a new era
In the spring of this year , Americans found themselves standing in front of empty shelves at the supermarket , where basic items such as milk , flour , meat and canned goods were suddenly scarce . As concerns about supply chains and the availability of daily essentials increased , consumers began to recognize the benefits of being closer to the source of their food . Garden centers , which remained open as essential businesses during the initial shutdown , experienced record traffic and sales , and online seed companies were sold out everywhere . The uncertainties of the moment inspired many to begin growing food for themselves and their families , much like the Victory Garden movement of the last century .
What was the Victory Garden ? During the first World War , when food was needed to supply countries overseas where farmlands had been destroyed by war , Americans were encouraged to grow as much as they could in their own backyards . This campaign was revived during WWII and widely embraced as the Victory Garden . By 1944 , approximately 20 million gardens across the country produced roughly 8 million tons of food , which added up to more than 40 percent of all the fresh produce consumed in the United States . 1
As the Covid-19 crises progressed over the summer , however , it was apparent that the spring surge ( or panic ?) in gardening was not playing out in the same way as the previous Victory Garden movement . It ’ s true that with many working from home with more time on their hands , both urban
plenty I autumn harvest 2020 7