BOOK RECOMMENDATION - KITCHEN GARDENING IN AMERICA
It's mid February and maybe dreary and cold. Maybe it's time to curl up under a blanket with a book about vegetable gardening. Here is an obscure little book, Kitchen Gardening in America: A History by David N. Tucker (Iowa State University Press, 1993). You will probably have to ask your local public library to locate a copy for you through their wonderful interlibrary loan service. You can probably have a copy in your hands before spring.
Although gardening is certainly an ancient human activity, many of our practices today, like using raised beds and watering cans, stem from long established English gardening practices. When we see "kitchen gardens" at places such as the Farmer's Museum in Cooperstown, NY or the Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, MA, we easily relate those gardens to our own backyard endeavors.
In reality, however, colonial gardens were typically much larger taking up between 1 - 2 acres and were the primary source for much of their food for the year. Women took the lead with help from young their children to plant, weed, harvest and save seed. Jefferson's 1 acre raised terrace was his "kitchen garden" at Monticello, VA and probably better reflects colonial reality. Jefferson's garden, I suspect, probably appeared better maintained than most colonial gardens given that he used slaves to do the work.
Until the early 19th century, gardeners mostly saved seeds from mature plants or traded seeds with neighbors. Seed merchants were far away and few in number. As the population spread into interior regions from the East Coast, some merchants did see business opportunity, but it was the Shakers who developed the paper seed packet and who first distributed display boxes in general stores. Merchants received a commission for the seeds sold, and the seed business took off...
If you like this book, other books that Tucker has authored include The Mugwumps and The Decline of Thrift in America. I haven't read them, but I like the titles.
Although gardening is certainly an ancient human activity, many of our practices today, like using raised beds and watering cans, stem from long established English gardening practices. When we see "kitchen gardens" at places such as the Farmer's Museum in Cooperstown, NY or the Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, MA, we easily relate those gardens to our own backyard endeavors.
In reality, however, colonial gardens were typically much larger taking up between 1 - 2 acres and were the primary source for much of their food for the year. Women took the lead with help from young their children to plant, weed, harvest and save seed. Jefferson's 1 acre raised terrace was his "kitchen garden" at Monticello, VA and probably better reflects colonial reality. Jefferson's garden, I suspect, probably appeared better maintained than most colonial gardens given that he used slaves to do the work.
Until the early 19th century, gardeners mostly saved seeds from mature plants or traded seeds with neighbors. Seed merchants were far away and few in number. As the population spread into interior regions from the East Coast, some merchants did see business opportunity, but it was the Shakers who developed the paper seed packet and who first distributed display boxes in general stores. Merchants received a commission for the seeds sold, and the seed business took off...
No comments:
Post a Comment
Use this form to make a comment or ask a question about a post. Use the CONTACT US box to submit comments or questions about the blog or gardening. Thanks.