The Union Museum of History and Art is hosting a traveling display from the National WWII Museum in New Orleans called “Victory Gardens, Then and Now,”
Marianna Langston, a nutritionist with the Southern University AgCenter system, is discussing the history and importance of Victory Gardens, regarding the war effort in a presentation on Saturday, July 13, at 11 a.m.
This exhibit is free to the public and will be held at the LSU AgCenter in Farmerville. Another section of the program will discuss how home gardening is making a comeback in today’s society. For more information call (318) 348-2005 or visit www.UnionMuseumofHistoryandArt.org.
Victory Gardens began with World War I and made a large reappearance during World War II. The gardens offered people on the home front a way to help with war efforts, provided food for families and was seen as a way to express patriotism. Cooperative Extension worked with citizens by providing information about how to successfully garden and how to safely preserve the foods grown. The home gardening and urban gardening have made a noticeable comeback in the past few years. In many of the larger cities, residents do not have space for a garden on the property where they reside. This brought back the “community garden” concept that was also a part of the victory garden plan. Community gardens are often located in vacant lots or areas that are empty in the city. These gardens are sectioned off and people are allowed to rent a section to have a garden. Some cities also have rooftop gardens, which allow the residents of that building to have either container or raised bed gardens. Part of the program will focus on how to have your own modern day Victory Garden and how to safely preserve the foods you produce.