Posted by Stephanie | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on 10-03-2009
For the past few months, Walt in PR has been getting more than the usual calls from newspapers and major national publications for articles being written for print or online. So what does everyone want to know about this year? "How are gardening sales in this economy?" "What's selling?" and of course, "Can you tell us about this Victory Garden trend?"
The good news? It's not just a trend, it's a movement! And sure it's hitting the news this year but really, the signs were all there last year. Thanks to blogs and email we had some great conversations with YOU, the Park customers and readers, and you told us what was important to you in the coming months/years. Naturally we're glad to point those publications to our previous discussions of the "trend," letting them know that Park gardeners are at the forefront. (In linking to newsletters sent to Park Gardeners this past year, my apologies if not all links in those old newsletters work!)
Starting with Know Your Food last March we had so much fun talking about home veggie gardening with you after we saw an upswing in early seed sales. People shared their sharing their gardening memories with Claire all year long, we introduced the budget seed collections, and how amazing that right after our discussion of the New Victory Gardener we found the Garden for Victory woodcuts in the attic. (Sorry, those first t-shirts are no longer available, but these are!)
Late in the season after a great 2008 for Victory Gardeners, Hope did a wrap-up in November describing the Victory idea and calling others to the cause. The Eat the View group has rallied people together asking the Obama family to put a Victory Garden on the White House lawn, and even the Garden for Victory desktop wallpaper Audra made (from the same woodcuts as the shirts) was one of the top downloaded wallpapers. Todd had these fun plaques made up that really sport a gardener's pride.
Right now we have more people veggie gardening than we've seen for a long time. First-timers, people returning to it after a spell, and let's not forget all those who've been doing it all along. There are as many reasons for home veggie gardening as there are people doing it. Whatever the reason, get out there and get dirty!