Victory Gardens were viewed as a way for everyone to get involved in supporting the country, each other, and their communities during wartime. The initiative was supported by providing information on storing and preserving surplus to increase food availability outside of the growing season and prevent waste. Information on practices that prevent seed waste, improper fertilizer application, and land and labor recommendations helped support those with little to no gardening experience. Massive campaigns helped to distribute the information and encourage participation. Nationwide programs helped involve urban and rural communities and people across all age groups, from school children participating in the U.S. School Garden Army to First Lady Elenor Roosevelt planting a garden on the White House’s front lawn.

It was estimated that 18 million families grew victory gardens in 1943. Victory garden efforts resulted in 40% of produce in America by May of that year.

• • • You do not need a lot of experience to grow your own food. Many common problems that a gardener runs into can be assuaged by auxiliary information that helps support these gardens’ long-term sustainable success of food supplementation. 

    • Planting and growing Victory Gardens provide a morale boost. Gardening helps promote community through the shared production of produce to the distribution of surplus with family, friends, and neighbors.  

    • Gardens help provide seasonal support in the kitchen. Gardens can be planted for harvesting throughout the year with varied yield times.  Different cultivars of the same type of produce can result in extended harvesting throughout the year. Multiple types of produce also introduces redundancy and variety into a garden. 

For more information:

https://www.nal.usda.gov/exhibits/ipd/small/exhibits/show/victory-gardens/victory-goals   

https://library.si.edu/exhibition/cultivating-americas-gardens/gardening-for-the-common-good   

https://www.almanac.com/what-plant-victory-garden 

Project objectives were identified and prioritized based on the needs and wants of the community members and have created stronger community ties, individual and community agency, and autonomy. The project included many phases that permeated different aspects of the community. 6 fog collectors with a sedimentation tank, 7 storage cisterns, a gravity-fed irrigation system, a sports court, a terraced community garden, a pocket playground, and 60 household gardens were designed and constructed. Each family designed their unique garden plan, painted, and planted using locally sourced, low-cost materials.   

The community attributed their new home gardens to improving food security with 75% of 20 household representatives reporting improved access to food. Financial stability improved with 45% of 44 household representatives surveyed experiencing less financial strain as an effect of the project. 

• • • Iterative design was invaluable via prototyping, lab testing, and on-site materials testing. 

    • Community participation required pivotability and creativity to include community members who could not always participate otherwise. Engagement can be complicated and time consumptive. Scheduling events in line with pre-existing community events contributed to capturing participation more efficiently and with greater effect.

    • Community participation was an integral part of establishing long-term sustainability. Participatory Impact Assessments (PIAs) were used to identify and evaluate needs and priorities to clearly understand how the community defines success. Community engagement was continuous with cycles of continual feedback, adaptation, and iteration loops. Many resources were utilized with this method of community engagement that required many people, materials, management, organization, and consistent and intentional communication. 

    • In order to create ownership within the project, residents were required to construct the projects at their homes themselves. This created a mutual flow of information and skill between the community and researchers, with residents contributing their time, resourcefulness, local knowledge, and input in exchange for engagement method development opportunities and publishable research data. Community strength and resilience improved due to resulting physical, mental, and social health improvements. The project facilitated community members working together to make and strengthen relationships through the construction of a project. The resulting emotional ownership of the household gardens inspired unique ideas for additional improvements, contributing to project success and longevity. 

    • Designs do not need to be high-tech. Many planters and set-ups are completely doable with locally found materials. A wide variety of plants and supporting plants help create resilience within a small garden and manage pests and harvesting potential throughout large swathes of the year. 

For more information:

https://www.landscapeperformance.org/case-study-briefs/eliseo-collazos#/overview