The Victory Garden Project

The Victory Garden Project, initially established to bolster food production during World War II, serves as a powerful inspiration for our work today. At Tandi Family Farms, we embrace this legacy, fostering a similar spirit of empowerment and self-sufficiency. In 2025, The Victory Garden Project successfully produced over 2,800 lbs of fresh, organic produce. Looking ahead to 2026, we are thrilled to be serving over 100 families and more than 400 individuals through our network of home gardens, school gardens, community center gardens, and our innovative satellite farm project on Lewis Avenue in San Leandro—where the 400 block is farming together to provide their neighborhood with fresh produce. As we continue working toward securing our own dedicated farm land, we proudly offer community members the opportunity to cultivate their own food at no cost, enhancing access to fresh produce while nurturing a vital sense of stewardship towards the land.

Our initiative began with ten dedicated gardens in the spring of 2024, and due to overwhelming community engagement, our 2025 cohort has already expanded to over fifty gardens. Looking ahead, we are excited to announce that in 2026, the program will expand to 100 gardens throughout San Leandro, Oakland, Castro Valley, and Hayward. We ensure every Victory Gardener has the tools for success by providing them with raised garden beds, quality soil and compost, irrigation, seedlings, and ongoing mentorship. Furthermore, Tandi Family Farms proudly partners with key local San Leandro institutions to maximize our reach and impact, including The Leap Center, the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Leandro, Building Futures, Davis Street Community Center at Garfield Elementary School, and James Baldwin Academy (a Seneca Family of Schools). This project transcends mere gardening; it is about cultivating a supportive community dedicated to self-sufficiency and resilience. We invite everyone to join us in this vital movement toward growing your own food, because at TFF, we aren't just growing food—we are growing people!

Key Features of Victory Gardens

Victory gardens, also known as war gardens or food gardens for defense, were private or community gardens planted during times of war to supplement food supplies and support the war effort. These gardens became particularly popular during World War I and World War II, when food shortages and rationing were common.

Purpose:

To reduce pressure on public food supply systems.
To free up commercial agricultural production for soldiers and allies.
To boost morale and encourage self-sufficiency among civilians.

Community Effort:

Victory gardens were often planted in backyards, vacant lots, parks, schools, and even on rooftops.
They were a way to unite communities and involve people in the war effort.

Crops Grown:

Typically included vegetables, fruits, and herbs that were easy to grow and maintain, such as tomatoes, carrots, beans, lettuce, and spinach.
Gardening techniques emphasized using available space efficiently and growing high-yield crops.

Government Support:
Governments and organizations promoted victory gardens through posters, pamphlets, and public campaigns.
Educational programs taught people how to grow and preserve food, including canning and drying.

Impact:

Victory gardens were highly successful, producing significant portions of the food consumed domestically during the wars.
In the United States during World War II, victory gardens supplied about 40% of the nation's fresh produce.

Victory gardens were a powerful symbol of resilience, community cooperation, and the collective effort to overcome challenges during wartime. They also laid the groundwork for later movements like urban gardening and local food sustainability.

Origins and Early Adoption

World War I (1914–1918):

Victory gardens emerged during World War I as a response to food shortages caused by the redirection of agricultural produce to soldiers and allies.
In the United States, the National War Garden Commission was established in 1917. It encouraged citizens to grow their own food to ensure that commercially farmed goods could support troops overseas.
The slogan "Sow the seeds of victory!" became popular, with gardens being planted in backyards, parks, and school grounds.
Other countries, such as Britain and Canada, adopted similar campaigns.

Expansion During World War II (1939–1945):

The concept of victory gardens was revived and expanded during World War II to address more acute food shortages and the need for self-reliance.
In the U.S., posters featured slogans like “Grow your own, can your own” and “Our food is fighting.”
Britain ran its own campaign under the name “Dig for Victory”, promoting home-grown vegetables as a patriotic duty.
Countries such as Australia, Canada, and even Japan encouraged similar gardening initiatives.
The campaigns often adapted to local climates and available crops.

Scale and Success

United States

By 1944, an estimated 20 million victory gardens were planted in the U.S.
These gardens produced about 8 million tons of food—nearly 40% of the fresh produce consumed in the country.

United Kingdom

The "Dig for Victory" campaign transformed urban spaces into productive farmland.
Even ornamental gardens at estates and parks were converted to grow vegetables.

Canada

"A Garden for Every Home" campaigns emphasized food security, with significant participation across provinces.

Post-War Decline

After World War II, the need for victory gardens diminished as food production and supply chains returned to normal.
Urbanization and the expansion of supermarkets further reduced interest in home gardening.

Legacy

Victory gardens left a lasting impact on food security, gardening, and sustainability movements:
Inspired urban gardening, community gardens, and modern sustainability practices.
Highlighted the importance of local food production in times of crisis.
Revived interest during later periods of economic hardship and food shortages, such as the 1970s energy crisis.
Now in the 2020s, many communities around the world face hardships in the post-pandemic years.

Victory gardens remain an enduring symbol of resilience, self-sufficiency, and community cooperation, serving as a historical reminder of how individuals can unite during times of global crisis.