Veggies for Victory

Supporting local farming and organic agriculture while reconnecting with your family is easy: just flip your calendar back to 1945, the age of the victory garden.

Victory gardens came about during World War II as a way to lessen the hardships of wartime rationing, providing wholesome nutrition and improved morale for those left on the home front. The campaign was so successful that at the height of the war, there were over 18 million victory gardens nationwide, supplying nearly 50 percent of America’s fresh produce. New Hampshire alone had 80,000 registered victory gardens by 1945.

By contrast, less than 6 percent of fresh produce consumed in New Hampshire today is grown in the state. Strawbery Banke Museum hopes to demonstrate how easy it is to grow organic produce at home with their WWII-era victory garden. Planted in 1944 by the Pecunies family, the garden is one of the only recreated Victory gardens in the country and is original to the site.

“The plantings in the victory garden are based on oral history from the Pecunies family, photographs, publications from UNH (University of New Hampshire) and the Cooperative Extension, as well as back issues of Portsmouth Herald and other newspapers,” explains John Forti, curator of historic landscapes at Strawbery Banke. The garden includes such nostalgic vegetables as Mortgage Lifter Tomato, Kentucky Wonder Bean, Bloomsdale Spinach, and Ruby Perfection Cabbage, among many others.

But the garden is much more than a pleasant trip down memory lane. “It’s just a great model for looking into the future of sustainability,” John says. “The historical garden is blended with perspectives on the slow food movement and the local food movement, teaching people modern ideas using historical examples.”

Daily programs will engage visitors in hands-on experiences to learn about the processes of gardening, composting, and canning, as well as the historical and cultural significance of victory gardens.

“In the 1940s, people realized that there was something fundamentally wrong with being told to go spend in a time of adversity. The victory garden movement arose out of people looking for a way to pitch in,” says John. “Victory gardens gave people a sense of achievement and participation in a national movement.” That idea still appeals today, which is partly why victory gardens have regained popularity. “People are starting to re-learn the pleasure of the productive garden.”

For more information about the victory garden at Strawbery Banke, visit www.strawberybanke.org.

Tips for growing your own victory garden at home:

1. Getting Started: Consider where you have the most sunlight in your lawn. The right place for your garden will be bright, with not a lot of tree roots competing with your plants.

2. Planning the Plot: Figure out how much you can manage, whether it is a big or small garden, whether you are gardening alone or with your family, make sure it is something you can handle.

3. Grow Your Favorites: Make up a list of your favorite plants. Sit down with your family and decide what vegetables and herbs you like eating, and also what plants are meaningful to you. Consider heirloom varieties, plants that you have a personal history with. It’s good to find plants that strike a chord with you, that way you’ll take better care of them, enjoy the process of gardening, and have fun with recipes.

4. Extend the Season: Plant multiple times in the year, and plant to extend the season. There are 10 months during which you can enjoy fresh vegetables from your garden, and you can preserve some foods so that during the winter you can enjoy summer in a jar.

5. Look for New Recipes: It’s good to know how to use the produce you grow. Do research; find interesting ways to prepare your vegetables.

Add comment May 11th, 2009

Renovating with the Green Alliance

I woke up a little after midnight to what sounded like pouring rain, but mysteriously the noise seemed to be coming from inside the house. I looked in the bathroom to discover water gushing out from the overhead light. Downstairs, I found water pouring out from vents and lights in the living room, half bath, and dining room, where it flowed down from the chandelier onto the table and floor.

My water heater, which was unfortunately placed in the attic due to my townhouse’s lack of a basement, had sprung a major leak, damaging walls, floors, ceilings, and furniture in its self-destruction. Now, in the middle of an unplanned renovation, I’m using this mess as an opportunity to make some energy-efficient upgrades in my home.

But because I need to save money, I’m joining the Green Alliance. The alliance offers a “green card,” providing discounts to the 42 businesses that are members of the alliance. As their project director Sarah Brown points out, the card earns its $35 cost back even if you only use it at one of the member businesses.

The Green Alliance is not just some “green-washing” scheme. The group consults environmentalists and climatologists who issue report cards on how green the businesses are, information that is then posted on the alliance’s web site, greenalliance.biz. At the site you can read about each business’ report card and “green story”—what makes them green and what they are doing to improve their scores.

I’ve already called Seacoast Energy Alternatives (SEA) Solar Store to replace my hot water heater with a Rinnai in-demand water heater. Though the store’s discounts (5 percent off solar hot water hardware, and 10 percent off items less than $500) won’t apply to my purchase, their quote was considerably less than the plumber’s, and the store’s owner, Jack Bingham, is also very knowledgeable about his products, including the 30 percent tax credit I’ll be able to claim for choosing a more energy-efficient appliance!

The alliance’s businesses range from the expected—such as Simply Green, a pioneer in energy-efficiency that is offering 10 cents off each gallon of Bioheat and 10 percent off all products at its new Congreenience store in Dover —to the unexpected. Who knew a yoga studio could be green? The alliance has two, so when I’m feeling especially stressed during the weeks of renovations, I can stop by Empower Yoga, which offers a 15 percent discount on class cards and memberships, or Zev Yoga, where, as an alliance member the first five classes will only cost me $5 ($1 per class, and must be used within two weeks).

I’m hoping I can also find some materials at Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore in Dover, which gives a 10 percent discount to cardholders. The store offers building materials that are donated by manufacturers, stores, contractors and individuals, which are either sold to the public or used in construction of houses for the Southeast New Hampshire Habitat for Humanity. All proceeds from the store support the program, which makes it a great way to save money, and help Seacoast families who need a home.

I’m also going to use my green card for making food and drink purchases. Beach Pea Bakery in Kittery, which composts 100 percent of its food waste, and packages its coffee and baked goods in biodegradable containers, offers members a free loaf of bread with a $20 purchase—a $5 savings each time. The Portsmouth Brewery gives members a 10 percent discount on all food and drink purchases.

If you’re also interested in making some green renovations, alliance member Seacoast Consulting Engineers offers cardholders a 10 percent discount on home and business energy audits so you can find out what areas of your home need improvements before you begin.

The alliance continues to grow so the card will only go up in value as more businesses join, increasing the number of discounts and special offers. New member the River, a radio station in Haverhill, Mass., is offering two free tickets to the River Music Hall, a recording studio, that has been home to shows by both local rising stars and famous artists alike, including Sting and Jack Johnson.

I’m also pleased to be able to mention that Accent Magazine is a member of the Green Alliance (we offer a discount for subscribers), but I’m also joining as an individual independent of the magazine because the savings are phenomenal, and worth the $35 yearly price.

You can find out more about the alliance, their members, and discounts on their website, greenalliance.biz.

3 comments March 23rd, 2009

Seeing Green at RDC

Having just attended the Residential Design and Construction show last week I was thrilled by the number of businesses now recognizing how green, Green can be. Everyone from interior designers to plumbing experts are ready and willing to share their advice on sustainability as it pertains to their expertise.
Ca-Ching!

I had a chance to speak with Lee Proscia of Wright-Ryan, a Portland based construction and mill working company. Lee is Millwork manager and we talked about the exciting (and gorgeous) very first Plantinum LEED certified building in New England, which Wright-Ryan built in Freeport, Maine. The home is so revolutionary that it is currently a Show House to show off not only the latest in Green efficiencies including solar powered windows and recycled glass tiles, but designer style as well.

Intrigued? Go see it for yourself, March 28 through April 19th. Proceeds to benefit Freeport Community Services. Here’s a list of the designers, merchants and artisans participating in the Show House:
Thomas Moser Cabinetmakers ~ LL Bean ~ Dwellings ~ Cottage Road ~ Furniturea ~ Pillars Antiques ~ Judy Pascal Antiques and Interiors ~ Ritter Furniture ~ Simply Scandinavian ~ Bradfords Rug Gallery ~ Angela Adams ~ Finest Hearth and Home ~ Georgetown Pottery ~ Cuddledown ~ TJ McDermott Sculpture ~ J’Accents ~ Penobscott Bay Porch Swings ~ Keys to the Kitchen ~ Decorum ~ Jamison York Metal Works.

For more information
http://www.fcsmaine.org/leed2008.htm

1 comment April 6th, 2008

staying warm

Glad to know that people are reading our blog! Thanks for the tip on the water heater! So far the process of getting estimates, information and scheduling the installment of our new furnace has gone smoothly.

So hope you are all staying warm….. To help you think of Spring our March April issue will be out on the newsstand soon. I am sure it will inspire you - especially if you are planning a kitchen remodel. The Music Hall and the Exeter Kitchen Tours promise not to dissapoint.

We will have the new issue online shortly so- stay tuned.

Kathy

Add comment February 8th, 2007

stay warm

Good morning ! Happy Monday.

My week end statred out with a bang, littereally! Saturday morning the furnace went kaput. There was a cloud of black soot in the basement and then on George our brown and white cocker spaniel, who came with me to investigate the smell in the basement. A bath for George, and a call to Clint Felch, of Feltch & Sons helped us out tremendously! We are cleaned up and we have heat. Oh thank goodness.

Now it is time to replace the system. We have a little window to do our research, so we find the right heating system for our home.

We are thinking Buderus. www.buderus.com . It is a solid system with an excellent energy rating. I’ll keep you posted. Stay warm - Kathy

2 comments January 29th, 2007