VICTORY GARDEN MEMORIES

As I browsed through photos of my childhood, I came across one of Sister and me in our “Sunday Best” dresses and little bonnets. We were standing in front of a flower garden on the lawn in front of our farmhouse. Because we had a large vegetable garden each year, we didn’t plant a special one during World War II. However, to be patriotic, Mother wanted a Victory garden.

She enlarged the flower garden, painted a large wooden tub red, white and blue, and planted flowers in it. She painted large white Vs on either side. Then around the large planter, she had Father and the hired man plant several rose bushes. She filled the tub with geraniums and petunias, and positioned it in the center of the plot. Next came a variety of other plants around the outside.

Victory Gardens

During the World War II years of the early 1940s, Victory Gardens were the height of popularity and patriotism. These gardens, where Americans raised their own fruit and vegetables, often for the first time, were commonplace. Some people also planted flowers for cheer in an uncertain world of blackouts, food shortages and rationing.

During those years you found Victory Gardens in city and country. They were planted in any space one could utilize, if you didn’t have a traditional garden plot. You might see vegetables in window boxes, front yard, back yard, or side yard.

World War II Foods

The recipes of the war years often had to be altered to reflect the scarcity of butter, eggs, milk and other items. That’s when margarine or oleo came into greater use (the type we had to mix with yellow coloring so it didn’t look like lard).

ONE EGG CAKE – Although we had plenty of eggs on our farm, many people didn’t. So recipes using fewer eggs or no eggs were devised. Also, less sugar and shortening often were called for.

Cream 2/3-cup sugar and 1/4 cup shortening; add 1 egg and mix well. Sift dry ingredients (2 cups sifted flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder). Add these to shortening mixture alternately with 3/4-cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat well.

Bake in 9-inch square at 350 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes until tests done. Frost with desired icing. Instead of icing, we sometimes put jam or jelly on the cake.

(Mary Emma Allen researches and writes from her woodland NH home.)

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