Wartime Gardening

[digforvictory]

Hi, I have recently started a blog on wartime gardening. To make it interesting l am following the advice of Mr Middleton, the Alan Titchmarsh, of his time. He wrote Dig On For Victory and gave week by week advice on how to keep a productive plot during the Second World War. I am supplementing it with images of wartime posters, advice from various gardening guides that were issued at the time and snippets taken from Wartime by Juliet Gardiner who has kindly given me permission to do so.
Call in and take a look. Let me know what you think.
Digging for Victory!

[marmite]

I have been to your site, and I am impressed with it. I notice you live in France so your planting season is different to ours by a few weeks.

However did the French have a dig for victory thing or just carried on as normal. Was food rationed in France. What about recipes war time English /French etc. Marmite far to young to remember, but not to old to forget.

[digforvictory]

Hi Marmite,
We live on the coast of Northern Brittany so the weather and the seasons are much the same as Cornwall and the Scilly Isles.
You ask about rationing in France; it is an interesting question and one l will look in to but l am assuming that as the country was occupied and had no real central government running it, then l assume for most of the country it was a case of 'every man for himself'.
Today, especially in the rural areas, the tradition of growing one's own food remains very strong. Here in Brittany, farming hasn't moved on much. The growing of cauliflowers and artichokes remains supreme and l often see people working the fields with hand tools.
The next few months are a busy time for us all in the garden and l am looking forward to seeing how Mr Middleton's advice stands up to this period.
Thank you for looking in.

[marmite]

Thanks for the reply. Will visit site when my mother in law comes next week. She has first hand knowledge of WW2. Some say she started it. I love her really (no he dont )Marmite hoping she dont read this.

[thesinginggardener]

I have the same book and had the same idea but forgot about it after a while. I'll be a regular visit to your site. I've just signed up to your blog.

This is mine: Allotment Plot 52

[airconednightmare]

Originally Posted by digforvictory

Hi Marmite,
We live on the coast of Northern Brittany so the weather and the seasons are much the same as Cornwall and the Scilly Isles.
You ask about rationing in France; it is an interesting question and one l will look in to but l am assuming that as the country was occupied and had no real central government running it, then l assume for most of the country it was a case of 'every man for himself'.
Today, especially in the rural areas, the tradition of growing one's own food remains very strong. Here in Brittany, farming hasn't moved on much. The growing of cauliflowers and artichokes remains supreme and l often see people working the fields with hand tools.
The next few months are a busy time for us all in the garden and l am looking forward to seeing how Mr Middleton's advice stands up to this period.
Thank you for looking in.

france was occupied but had a 'puppet government', they did what the nazis wanted. i know that rationing in germany was only introduced in 1942-3 and i would assume the same was true of their occupied territories in the west (french/british people were treated a lot better than their russian contemporaries). however, at the same time france and britain were responsible for thousands, if not millions of germans starving to death during the winters of 1916-17 and 17-18, part of the reason for wwII happening. war is a horrible, inhumane event that i wouldn't wish on my worst enemy...no one really 'wins'

[airconednightmare]

sounds ok, has nothing to do with wartime gardening though wear a mask if you are cutting anything with fine fibers or using the saw in a confined space.

NEVER, EVER USE IT ON MDF WITHOUT VENTILATION...the dust can explode