The Rise of the 2020 Victory Garden

People working in a field at a U.S. War Gardens plot in Glenwood Springs, Colorado during World War I. 
Photo courtesy of Colorado State University archives.  Learn more at https://mountainscholar.org/handle/10217/180054

The Rise of the 2020 Victory Garden

by Michelle Provaznik, Executive Director, The Gardens on Spring Creek

Due to recent events surrounding the novel coronavirus, there has been a resurrection of Victory Gardens during this time of crisis. Whether due to an abundance of free time or uncertain food supplies, we are seeing a return to the garden like never before. 

Victory Gardens began in World War I when governments in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and others encouraged citizens to plant food gardens in their yards and public areas as a means to supplement the food supply as well as to boost morale. 

Victory Gardens came back strong during World War II as noted in the 1944 Combined Annual Report of County Extension Workers for Larimer County.  “The County Extension Agents conducted an extensive Victory Garden Campaign in 1943, which resulted in estimated increase of Gardens from 2500 to 5000. As a result, the interest in Victory Gardens in 1944 was sufficient enough that the program did not require much urging.” (https://hdl.handle.net/10217/189477)

Local resident, Robert Pike, attended Fort Collins High School during World War II. Feeling part of "the war effort" was central to everyday life in Fort Collins. Rationing of food, gasoline and clothing, observing the "blackouts," saving paper, scrap metal and cooking fat, growing a "Victory Garden," all were part of the hometown contribution. (Fort Collins History Connection) 

A parade float with "Food for victory" written on the side is proceeding down a street in the May 8, 1942 College Day parade. Bales of hay, milk bottles, and livestock are on the float.  Photo courtesy of Colorado State University archives.  Learn more at https://mountainscholar.org/handle/10217/178198

The first signs of the growing 2020 Victory Garden movement occurred in late March / early April as seed companies across the country began reporting rapidly increasing sales.  Our local seed company, Botanical Interests, paused online sales in April to catch up with purchases while allowing staff to practice social distancing to safely fulfill orders.  Local nurseries reported increased interest and sales of fruit and vegetable crops as well, both plants and seeds. At our own Spring Plant Sale, we sold more vegetable plants than in the history of the sale.

The benefits of Victory Gardens today are many: 

Health Benefits of Gardening

Whether you have an urban homestead with an acre-wide vegetable patch, or just a few pots on a sunny balcony, gardening has a number of health benefits -

• It encourages you eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Gardening is a natural stress reliever and way to stay active while social distancing.
• Vegetables left to ripen on the vine can have more nutrients than some vegetables sold in stores that must be picked early.

Have a Positive Environmental Impact

In addition to the health benefits of gardening, growing your own food reduces your carbon footprint. Additionally -

• Plants prevent soil erosion and replenish nutrients in the soil.
• Even container gardening can help reduce noise pollution and support pollination.
• Gardening helps naturally clean the air and ground. 

The Gardens on Spring Creek's Garden of Eatin' grows more than 7,000 pounds of produce for the Food Bank for Larimer County.

Help Others in our Community

Several programs exist for gardeners to donate extra produce to support others in our community: 

Plant it Forward

Did you know that the Gardens on Spring Creek grows more than 7,000 pounds of food annually for the Food Bank for Larimer County? In addition to supporting The Gardens, you can use your own backyard to help fight hunger in our community this growing season.

 

Through our Plant It Forward program in conjunction with the Food Bank for Larimer County, consider donating produce from your garden to help those in need. As demand for services continues to grow at the Food Bank, Plant It Forward donations can directly help local children, families and seniors in need of food assistance.

 

Drop off your garden produce at The Gardens or at the Food Bank for Larimer County. As the current situation continues to evolve, please visit our websites for more information about produce harvesting and drop-off.

 

Grow and Give

 

Developed by Colorado State University Extension, the modern Victory Garden project provides education resources for growing your own food as well as resources for how and where to donate.  Over 50 people have signed up to participate in Larimer County.  To learn more and register to participate, visit https://cmg.extension.colostate.edu/grow-give/

  

Two students in the Women's Land Army. One is driving a tractor and one is behind the tractor.  Photo courtesy of Colorado State University archives.  Learn more at https://mountainscholar.org/handle/10217/188438

Many thanks to staff at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, the Agricultural and Natural Resources Archive at the Colorado State University Libraries, and Colorado State University Extension for contributing to this story.