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© Jim Thomas

(November 2001)... There have always been good reasons for us to have greenhouse technology at our disposal for backyard gardening. For years I have presented the benefits of organic and chemical-free food, the pleasure of self reliance and the personal therapy of the process itself, to people visiting my demonstration grow frames. With recent events (September 11, 2001) at the World Trade Center in New York City a new (or old) motive comes into focus: Supply itself, and anxiety management.
If we are going to live now in an atmosphere of potential terrorism within our own country, this translates into the possibility of the occasional lack of supply of anything vital including fuel and/or food. We have to consider the possibility anytime in the near future of being occasionally cut off from the supply of these essential things we take for granted. This could obviously include utilities and food supplies. So the alternative idea that we can do something about it, even in a small way, by gardening in our own backyard, is a kind of stress management at the very least. At the very most we can provide ourselves a source of the highest nutrition, particularly if we use what we grow as ingredients for fresh juices.
I'm not suggesting that any of us can actually grow enough to feed ourselves entirely, unless we have a small farm, and then the local climate would inhibit us too much without massive solar growing devices, which is possible. But I have demonstrated within my own experiments that some essential nutrition is always at hand with minimal effort by building and managing personal growing frames.

First, a History Lesson

I'm old enough to remember, when I was a small child, my immediate family discussing such things as "victory gardens" during and just after World War II. My maternal grandparents were Dutch immigrants to the United States during the 1930s, right in the middle of the American "Depression," and were already very accustomed to being self reliant, so a little sacrifice and personal effort toward staying alive as a result of one's own efforts was not an extreme idea. As a little boy I spent my days playing in a yard filled with rabbit hutches, chickens and goats. I personally recall our kitchen being filled occasionally with mason jars during huge sessions of canning of our harvest or when we acquired large amounts from someone else's harvest. Being self reliant was how I knew things to be natural in my youthful world.
I'm aware now that there was much more to it. Victory Gardening was big deal, and directly connected to the national war effort. The idea was a natural extension of the war-time reality of rationing, shortages and sacrifice. Building a family garden was expected and everything from a window box to a converted school playground was fair game. According to my limited research on this subject this national campaign started with our government and made its way down through every major business in America. Major magazines, such as Good Housekeeping and House & Garden, of that day, featured many articles of instruction and encouragement about small gardens. Information on acquiring seeds, helping the soil, where and when to plant, etc. was published and accessible in everything you read. Every effort was made to educate and motivate all citizens toward the joy and value of a self supporting vegetable garden. Reputable artists of that time were commissioned to create straightforward and patriotic posters making it clear that it was each person's duty to make an effort.
I've read that over 20 million families got involved and that 40% of all needed produce was provided by individual enterprise. It was a success.
In the column to the left I have arranged thumbnail images of some of the published posters of that period. Many were issued by our government but you'll notice that many corporate sponsors participated. This is very similar to the atmosphere today.
Of course, we live in a different world today and the challenges are different. The days of America made up of thousands of small farms are gone. Plants and seeds are genetically engineered for the benefit of agri-business. Most of what we can grow can't produce a seed that we can save and plant. We have more to learn about fertilizers and pests control because the chemical solutions are in our way when we go shopping. But it can be done.

A Matter of Choice

This visit into the cyclical nature of human history is intended only to be a reminder of how things occur and reoccur and, quite often, just far enough apart to be erased from living memory. This is all new to most of the present generation.
My impression of this latest situation is that once again we have an opportunity to clean up our lives in a way that only discipline and self management provide. Hardship can be our best friend in disguise. Gardening is not the only solution, there are different answers for different people. Any act of conservation that stimulates an awareness of our over reliance on the assumption that our earthly resources are infinite is a good thing for our reality and our character. Not only does this help us manage fear but it opens us up to alternative ways of being healthier and stronger. >>> Jim Thomas, Editor, Connections