All Farms had Gardens in the 20th Century, or Did They?

Abstract

Food on the farm is often thought to be better and fresher than in cities because all farmers had gardens. This could be true for at least part of the year if all farmers did have gardens and city people did not. Although there is little specific research on farm gardens in the United States, it is clear from the literature that not all farms had gardens in the early 20^th century. Better off farmers were more likely to have a garden, and to grow more types of vegetables. The poorest farmers, such as sharecroppers, often had no garden. Some crops, such as corn, were grown as a field crop and also used for the family. Other factors such as location and weather directly influenced the production potential of the garden. Gardens were also seasonal so storage preparation time and facilities were important. The data for this conclusion comes mostly from dietary studies and family-living (or cost-of-living) studies carried out at various Experiment Stations. The percentage of farmers who had gardens clearly varied with economic level, area of the country, and personal interest.