Sow the Seeds of Victory
War and victory gardens fed the home front and produced posters that remain collectible today.
S. Evans & Associates. Image courtesy of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates.
During World War I and World War II, vegetable gardens were a powerful presence on the home front. Charles Lathrop Pack, a wealthy businessman and forestry expert, founded the United States National War Garden Commission in 1917 and served as its president. At the time, the United States was preparing but had not yet entered World War I.
Americans were then encouraged to grow fruits and vegetables in their yards, vacant lots, and public areas like schoolyards and parks. The Bureau of Education even founded the United States School Garden Army for students. Initially, these gardens were a response to the food shortages in Europe caused by the war. Once the U.S. entered the fight, avoiding food shortage at home, especially with so many farmers serving in the military, and saving money for the war effort became additional concerns.
The National War Garden Commission published pamphlets instructing Americans on how to grow and preserve their own food and promoted the effort with posters. A famous example was created by James Montgomery Flagg, the illustrator behind the iconic “Uncle Sam Wants You!” recruitment poster. Flagg depicted Columbia, an allegorical figure representing the United States, walking along rows of turned soil and scattering seeds from a basket. It has been printed with several slogans, such as “Sow the seeds of Victory!” and includes instructions to write to the National War Garden for more information, plus a quote from Pack: “Every Garden a Munition Plant.” Flagg’s Columbia image also appeared in publications by the National War Garden Commission. A framed poster captioned “Will you have a part in Victory?” sold for $292.50, passing its $200 high estimate, at an auction by Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates in March 2026.
The 1918 armistice called for the end of the war, but food shortages persisted. War gardens became “victory gardens,” and new posters declared “Every War Garden a Peace Plant.” The term “victory garden” was so popular that it was used during World War II in place of war garden.
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