The Gardens of Victory (1943, sound)

foreign [Music] of all the weapons the United Nations are using to win this war food is among the most important food to keep our husky young fighting men fit food to give them the strength to battle for freedom but in addition to food that must go to the warrior at the front there must be food for the worker at home the man who makes the guns and ships and planes and tanks that will bring us the final victory then there must be food for all the rest of us who are doing our part to win the war by keeping fit able and healthy so that we can work harder longer and better at whatever our daily tasks may be until this War Began we in America were blessed with an abundance of food our land was rich with all the treasures of vegetables fruits and Grain and meat that we could desire none of us needed to give a second thought to the possibility that there might be a scarcity of any food but today out of our abundance we must feed many mouths now half the Civilized world looks to America to save it from starvation and death with a never ceasing flow of food to plant that food to cultivate it Harvest it [Music] transported Across the Nation and across the seas is a task that today taxes to the utmost our facilities of Manpower and transportation yet this vital flow of food for freedom dare not must not be stopped in spite of sunken ships and trains that must carry steel oil coal and lumber instead of food in spite of every obstacle we must feed our Fighting Man our allies and ourselves if we are to win the war and write the peace this then is a challenge to every loyal American citizen what can we do to help win the war with food the answer to that challenge comes from Washington from the office of Civilian defense Victory Gardens that's the answer we can grow food for victory in our own backyards and even in vacant Lots where perhaps only weeds flourished before because so long as this war lasts great quantities of food must be grown anywhere and everywhere we can find good soil to nourish the seeds good soil and sunshine to make them grow still it takes more than Earth and Sun to produce the right kind of victory garden it requires a knowledge of how to plan and tend it and the willingness to work it with interest and enthusiasm our local office of Civilian defense can tell us much we need to know on how to plan a victory garden from Garden magazines and garden advertising we can get the advice of professional experts on how to derive the most from backyard planting and scores of seed in Nursery houses can supply us with other vital gardening information then each spring we can start our Gardens with good seeds plant them in rich well-tilled soil away from shadowing houses or trees out in the open where they can be warmed by life-giving sunshine and as our Gardens grow they must be regularly cared for Faithfully weeded from planting to harvest enriched perhaps with one of the magic plant Foods science has given us rigidly protected from insects and plant-killing disease and watered of course because Mother Earth gets thirsty now and then yes for the duration at least it's our job to grow food for our own tables and free the nation's Farm produce for the men at the front and our allies across the seas millions of Americans have done are doing and will do just that Guided by one of the many plans that have been made available through governmental and private agencies they're finding out that it's not only easy to make a victory garden it's a great way to have fun and get plenty of helpful exercise they're discovering that The Closer they get to The Good Earth and the more they drink in fresh air and sunshine the more courage and strength they have to face today's wartime problems and meet them like true Americans here's a bookkeeper in Iowa he's been planning a victory garden for a long long time it'll be designed after one he found in a Gardening Guide and he can hardly wait for the time when he begins it because he's sure that he's going to have the finest backyard crop you ever saw here's a Michigan fireman he expects to grow enough vegetables to feed his whole family of five the entire summer and here's a busy manufacturer who makes munitions and puts in his spare time admiring his garden that is he does when he isn't chasing the family dog away from his pet vegetables and so it is in every corner of America today millions of men and women are finding real joy and victory gardening they're working in the backyards of village and City in the yards of Townhouses and in community groups as well even the small Friar doing their part in school-sponsored Victory Gardens and because Dad can take care of the home victory garden after work there's no need for holding back Manpower from the fighting front and there's no need to strain transportation resources to bring food from a victory garden to the table mother picks it herself fresh every day fresh food good food packed with the rich minerals and vitamins we all need to keep healthy strong and fit fresh food good food from our own backyards food from The Gardens of Victory grown by you and me so that thousands of miles away a fighting man too can have food there are many many ways we who have stayed home can fight this war many ways for us to give our time and energy and loyalty and Devotion to the battle for freedom but of them all none is more appealing than this and year in year out if need be with our own hands we can grow The Gardens of victory foreign foreign