Earthrise – a photo taken by Apollo 8 astronauts in 1968 that inspired the Earth Day movement.
In celebration of Earth Day on Wednesday April 22 – and in recognition of the recent trend towards the creation of “victory gardens” – Hartford Public Library would love to offer a few suggestions to get your started on your own garden.
First, a word on victory gardens. In 1917 the United States government encouraged people to grow their own fruits and vegetables to assure enough food for the soldiers fighting overseas during World War I. During World War II, over 40 percent of all fruits and vegetables were grown in what were dubbed “victory gardens.”
Today, as a way of avoiding the grocery store and assuring access to healthy food during the pandemic, people are starting their own gardens again. Just this past week, Sarah Rose of Samad Gardens Collective, offered a few tips on HPL’s virtual programming on how to get started with your seeds indoors when it is too cold to be outside.
We have a few suggestions of books from HPL’s online resources to help get you started with your own garden (and give you something to think about).
- “Small Space Container Gardens,” by Fern Richardson. You don’t need a large plot of land to get started on your own garden. Richardson walks you through how to get started using containers just a bit of space. Perfect for people who live in the city.
- “Grow Cook Eat: A Food Lover’s Guide to Vegetable Gardening, Including 50 Recipes, Plus Harvesting and Storage Tips” by Willi Galloway. A primer to get you started on growing 50 of the tastiest vegetables, herbs, and small fruits. Complete with recipes.
- “The Drunken Botanist,” by Amy Stewart. Humans do not live by vegetables alone. This New York Times bestseller tells the story of how throughout history people have found ways to turn plants into their favorite alcoholic libation. With 50 drink recipes and tips for gardeners.
- “The Omnivore Dilemma,” by Michael Pollan. In what is now a modern classic, Pollan examines the simple choices one makes every day about food, and what they mean on a global scale.
— By Steven Scarpa, Manager, Communications and Public Relations
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