Grow More in '44:

It was 1944--a war raged all over the world. It seemed every American knew someone who was in the military, and it was not certain that we would win. The enemies were tough, fanatical, and prepared for a long fight. Americans at home wanted to do something to help our boys "over there".

Winning a war is often about tactics and courage, but its just as often about the support lines that supply food, ammunition, fuel. Its said that for every frontline G.I. in World War II, there were about 5 service people working in support roles. They were fighting just as hard by moving supplies, connecting calls, or handling logistics.

But in War Era America, you didn't have to be in the service to play a supporting role. It was called the "Homefront" and posters from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and the U.S. War Department would tell the people on the home-front to "Grow More in '44", "Can all you Can" (as in vegetables in mason jars), or ask "Are you doing all can to help salvage?" These overtures felt like the right thing to do, and they gave the folks at home a clear, neccessary task to participate in the effort.

This was no distracting busy-work, either. Keeping millions of Allied troops fed and fighting would take everything America had. Farms and factories were running at capacity, despite being shorthanded because of military draft. Women, teens, and even the grandparents all pitched in to collect salvaged steel, aluminum, rubber; and to plant farm gardens, then to can those vegetables for the coming winter.

It was serious work, and everyone knew it. The war was looking grim: the winter of 1944 saw a German offensive that left 19,000 Americans dead. People felt something had to be done.

Thankfully, Americans were no stranger to hard times and doing what it takes to pull through. The Great Depression of the 1930's lead to the Work Projects Administration (WPA) and the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) both of which put people to work building roads, parks, schools, dams and other improvements. Not only that, but WPA artists created some of the era's most memorable posters featuring the well known WPA style.

In 1944, America's homefront experience paid off. Rationing of can goods at the store didn't hinder the nutritional needs at home. "Growing More in '44" was taken seriously and about 20 million Americans got involved to grow about 40% of the produce consumed at home that year.

A great victory for America, and a legacy that reminds us of what the people are capable of if we just pitch in and do our part.

"No Work, No Victory!"

Links for Further Reading:
Sprouts in the Sidewalk - urban agriculture blog
WPA posters at the Library of Congress
Victory Garden - Wikipedia
Battle of the Bulge - Wikipedia
Civilian Conservation Corps