Part 5: Community gardens in World War I

by Don Audette, Fall 2008

During World War I, community food gardens were created on idle land with the owner's permission, after the owner knew he or she was dealing with responsible representatives of gardening organizations. At the time of the war, 1917–1918, a team of horses or a tractor could easily plow 1 acre in a day. That 1 acre would yield about 21 gardens, each 40 by 50 feet, which was deemed to be a good size for a family food garden.

If only after-work hours were available, several days might be consumed in planting seeds. Seed, fertilizer, implements, and other resources needed for farming could be purchased at reduced rates by pooling money and then sharing these resources in an equitable manner. A skilled gardener could provide guidance to others, and friendly competition in increasing production, through such methods as weeding. Many times, the county agent or a local farmer volunteered or was hired to assess the soil and make recommendations on improvements. Libraries provided educational material, displays, and bulletin boards; and local newspapers carried daily lessons in gardening, success stories, statistics, and graphics.

Community gardens involved the creation of an organization with an executive head and suitable committees, public meetings, community backing, cooperation, education, and supervision. In World War I, large-scale maps were used to identify potential food gardens, with information gathered by district by volunteers on a well-advertised day. The following information was noted on cards: name, address, and telephone number of land-owner, whether land is a backyard or a vacant lot, location of plot, approximate area in square feet, condition of the plot, whether the owner will cultivate it or rent or lend it, and on what terms and conditions the owner will rent or lend the land. By plotting the result, the scale of the operation was determined and garden plots were numbered and then assigned through a random drawing of the numbers.

In some cases, environmental issues were addressed. For example, the Chicago Daily Tribune of March 5, 1917, ran an article and a map about "smoke" zones and listed what and what not to plant under the smoke screen that hung over the industrial and congested parts of the city. In the worst zone, with heavy smoke and fumes, it was recommended not to grow cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, parsnips, beans, peas, potatoes, turnips, sweet corn, eggplant, berries, or melons. Supposedly, Swiss chard would grow anywhere.

A variation on the community garden was the corporation garden, as described in Part I of the War Gardening Manual:

Manufacturing concerns, and other enterprises which employ labor on a large scale, may make valuable contribution to the national food supply by encouraging their employees to cultivate war gardens. Many concerns furnish large tracts of land, which are divided into individual plots. These plots are allotted to such employees as are willing to cultivate them. Each plot and everything it produces are recognized as the individual property of its cultivator. The company bears the expense of plowing and fertilizing these plots and employs an expert to have charge.

 

Part 1: "Eat Local" movement has roots in history

Part 2: Women organize to support the World War I effort through food production and conservation

Part 3: Home gardens in World War I

Part 4: School gardens in World War I

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