Sowing the Seeds of Victory : American Gardening Programs of World War I

Sometimes, to move forward, we must look back. Gardening activity during American involvement in World War I (1917-1919) is vital to understanding current work in agriculture and food systems. The origins of the American Victory Gardens of World War II lie in the Liberty Garden program during World War I. This book examines the National War Garden Commission, the United States School Garden Army, and the Woman's Land Army (which some women used to press for suffrage). The urgency of wartime mobilization enabled proponents to promote food production as a vital national security issue. The connection between the nation's food readiness and national security resonated within the U.S., struggling to unite urban and rural interests, grappling with the challenges presented by millions of immigrants, and considering the country's global role. The same message--that food production is vital to national security--can resonate today. These World War I programs resulted in a national gardening ethos that transformed the American food system. Preface: sowing the seeds of victory Introduction: summary of the National War Gardening Effort The garden revolution In the furrows of freedom The United States School Garden Army Propaganda, posters, promotion and memory The Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women "Sisters of the soil": the Woman's Land Army of America Mobilization for nutritional defense Conclusion: demobilization, the trajectory of the programs and public policy implications for today. "This book examines three programs: the National War Garden Commission, the United States School Garden Army, and the Woman's Land Army. The urgency of wartime mobilization enabled proponents to promote food production as a vital national security issue. The connection between the nation's food readiness and national security resonated within the context of America's political and cultural life"-- Provided by publisher