This is the second in a series of articles on WWII Victory Gar dens. We’ll discuss vegetable gardening in the early 1940 s and see what lessons we can apply to 1995. Your garden soil is the dinner table where your plants find their daily bread. Victory gardens in the early 1940 s assured ample amounts of fresh vegetables and fruits for home use during war-related food shortages. Even after the war ended in 1945, a media campaign for “gardening after victory” was conducted. The language or “patriot The best way -n to say i - MF 240-4WD tractor with MFIOSI rotary cutter Tost drivo tfv wort's Usf M///«f kwid of tractors tod»f at out of thdu quality Mnw? Ftrjuson dtalors. SEE YOUR NEAREST DEALER FOR DETAILS ECKROTH BROS. FARM EQUIPMENT RD #2, Box 24A New Rtngjjqkj, PA 17880 (717) *43*131 N >v 6F(ck»yWtFW. Banjjof.RAlßOlS ' (810)MMWa 307 Idfllf Avt. . Bloomtbwfl, RM7815 (717)7*Wttt7 ' ' 'v H ' >* < ? thoughts” of the victory garden became part of the written lan guage of gardening. Gardeners were told to “destroy” insect “invaders” and weed “saboteurs.” We must be “vigilant of the fifth column” in protecting our gardens and “re-employ” control measures against our “enemy.” A subtitle for a book read, “Vegetables, vic tuals, vitamins, and victory, with violets, verbenas and veronicas for variety.” Many different victory garden plans were available at this time. “Remember your victory garden will seem twice as large in July and August as it does now, so consider MF2SS4WD tractor with MF duk & MASSEY FERGUSON® Mumcv KrriniM n »h ll> i*n«) <uh« d tirv fAtUH rpirnt n Dululh I A LEBANON VAUJEY IMPLEMENT CO. 700 8. Und*n Bt, RiChlanO, PA 17087 (717) 888-7818 M. WEAVER EBON N. I*ol*. PA 17540 (717)856-2321 IMPLBMHTS MC PEOPLTS BAIEB w3f ' & SERVICE : v\/ onWwdMii.l^riTdrf #?y f www t - * ? •* *■ /**■- MF 231-2WD tractor with MF 1051 rotary cutter SCHRBFFUER EQUIPMENT Pltmiai, PA 17984 (717) 648-1120 S.Q. UEWIS AND SON WwrtQrovt, PA 19390 (610)869-9440 . 989-2214 the time available and choose the size accordingly.” Plans were designed to be expandable if more gardening area was desired or it needed to be designed for the loc ality and terrain. • Victory garden plans existed for gardens as large as 50 x 100 feet, SO x 60 feet, 30 x 50 feet, 25 x 40 feet and as small as 20 x 30 feet, IS x 20 feet and 10 x IS feet. • A 30 x 50 foot plot produced 4-5 bu. snap beans; 12-15 qts. lima beans; 100 bunches of beets; J5O heads of cabbage; 4S pounds of carrots; IS pounds of swiss chard; 20 heads of lettuce; 30 bunches of onions; SO bunches of radishes; 40 pounds of spinach; 3 bu. tomatoes; and S bu. turnips or rutabagas. • For a family of two, a 25 x 50 foot garden was adequate to supply all essential vegetables except sweet com and potatoes. • For a family of five, a SO x 100 feet was recommended with inten sive cultivation between 18* rows. • A rule of thumb was to produce enough vegetables to put up 85 to 115 quarts for each family member per season. • A half hour a day should be sufficient labor for the average- TEST drive OW$ TOUAYI size garden, after the garden has been planted. •In Pennsylvania, industiral firms were asked to provide at least 1000 square feet of land for each member of the employee’s family. In the early 19405, gardeners were provided all the information needed to succeed with a victory garden. Previous gardening exper ience was not necessary. The average dates of the last killing frost (May 1) compiled by USDA weather reports were used to plan sowing and planting times. To get the most from the soil a vic tory gardener must understand and respect it. A soil not too heavy or too light is preferred. Ths soil should con tain plenty of air, moisture, organic materials and fertilizer. Topsoil should be a minimum 8-10 inches deep. Methods of digging practices in the early 40s include single dig ADSI |_PAY OFF! | jry . A New, Unique Magazine with art, history, new & old interesting articles that everyone will enjoy—This is a monthly magazine. (Still some January issues available) 9 A Beautiful Painting on Every Cover 9 Pa Dutch Writing by Bill Clotiser, Spring Glen 9 Kathryn’s Korner — Delightful Section for the Ladies 9 Children's Korner—Stories and Puzzles for the Kids 9 A Power Section —Early Uses of Steam & Electricity 9 Old & New Articles on Fanning 9 Interesting Wildlife Articles 9 A Continued Story of 19th Century Dutch Immigrants coming to Michigan from Holland. Send your check or money order in the amount of $2O (for US residents), $25 for Canadian Residents or $29 for Residents of all other countries to. The Old Country News, Dept. L, R.R. 2 Box 59, Millersburg, PA 17061 DRAINAGE PROBLEMS? Cocalico Equipment Specializes in Drainage Work We Install Ponds: • New Pond Construction • Reconstruction of Existing Ponds • Seal Leaking Ponds • FREE ESTIMATES • - We Sell Pipe - All Kinds, • All Sizes - € COCALICO EQUIPMENT CO. Farm Drainage & Excavating « 323 Reinholds Rd. Denver, PA 17517 ' (717) 336-3808 (717) 738-3794 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April IS, 1995*67 ging and double digging. Tech niques of seed sowing required the victory gardeners to smooth soil in the seed bed with a wooden rake. Narrow rows can be made with a pointed stick. Use the side of a hoe as a larger drill. Sow your seeds directly from a seed packet. Bush limas should be well spaced. Onion sets are sown in medium drills. Broadcast peas in a wide drill. Thin out seedlings. Cucum bers and melons should be sown in hills. Vegetable seeds were easier to select than today. There were far fewer varieties to choose from. Hybrid seed only existed for sweet com. A favorite hybrid sweet com was “Golden Sweet Bantram” which produced (sometimes 2) 8 inch ears with 14 rows of light grains with sweet pulp. Hybrid sweet com is highly resistant to disease and drought, as well as being more productive. We do subsurface and surface drainage, terraces and waterways. 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers