Victory Gardens
Author: James Lake, UC Master Gardener
This project was conceived in the summer of 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic was taking a devastating toll in lives in the U.S. and globally. These circumstances have led to renewed interest in self-sufficiency with the result that increasing numbers of individuals and communities are seeking information to guide them in growing, harvesting and storing their own food. The cultivation of plants for food is embedded in indigenous cultures around the world from earliest recorded history. However, for decades the majority of food production efforts in the U.S. and other developed countries have been industrialized on a massive scale. The result has been that the average citizen has quite literally "lost contact" not only with the soil in his or her backyard, but has never acquired the skills needed to create and nurture a productive garden. In the last decades of the 20th century the self-sufficiency movement emerged out of a widely shared conviction that self-sufficiency in food production will become necessary to offset worsening food insecurity due to global climate change. Victory gardens grown by millions of people during World Wars I and II were early efforts toward self-sufficiency in food production on an international scale which significantly improved food security during times of prolonged global crisis. At a time of continuing economic hardship and uncertainty related to the health and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic the victory garden provides a valuable model for achieving greater self-sufficiency in food production on both an individual and community level.
This project is based on the premise that millions of people in North America and globally share an abiding love of the simple pleasures and challenges of growing plants to provide a source of food and to bring beauty into their daily lives. Gardening nourishes the body and engaging in gardening as a kind of "practice" enhances psychological well-being, regardless of how difficult one’s circumstances are. During hard times gardening can benefit communities by contributing to the local food supply and strengthening bonds between neighbors. My goal in developing this project was to provide a self-directed online resource for anyone interested in increasing their knowledge and practical skills as gardeners, and especially for those interested in moving toward increased self-sufficiency in food production. The module assumes no previous knowledge or experience gardening however even advanced gardeners will find useful pearls in this resource. The module starts with a review of the history of victory gardens. I then provide a step-by-step strategy for planning, starting and maintaining your own victory garden. The module contains an extensive list of resources including books, articles, and links to organizations, video tutorials and blogs where readers can find practical information on all aspects of gardening. I’ve emphasized resources developed by the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) program and included links to other reputable resources on essential gardening topics.
Downloads
Victory Garden - Self-paced module - James Lake - June 2021 ENGLISH
Victory Garden - Self-paced module - James Lake - June 2021 ESPANOL