Will Ederer

3/10/15
Interdisciplinary Group Teal, Q3
Victory Gardens- Canning and Preservation
An extremely important part of the homefront effort was canning and preserving food to
deal with food shortages and government rationing. Getting people at home to can and preserve
fruits and vegetables was a good way to help the canning industry, which was being used to
provide food for soldiers (Stoller-Conrad). Professor Natalie K. Fitch, who was the head of the
Department of Cookery, Department of Home Economics, at the Teachers College, Praised
dehydration as a practical method of housewives. If food is preserved in this manner in the
country, she pointed out, it can be transported more easily to the city. There is also a great saving
in storage space and in materials, such as rubber and metal, according to an article in the New
York Times (Experts Explain Canning Methods 16). Surpluses of canned foods and vegetables
were used for various humanitarian purposes; according to the New York Times Anne Petersen,
the canned fruits and vegetables from the Bedford Hill cannery will be divided between this
hospital [the Northern Westchester Hospital], schools in Mount Kisco, Katonah, Bedford Hills
and Bedford Village, and the Elizabeth Milbank Anderson Home in Chappaqua, showing that
extra canned foods went to good causes (D4).
Canning involves using heat and airtight containers to keep food preserved and to prevent
it from spoiling. According to a pamphlet issued by the US Department of Agriculture, It is a
desirable and economical method of preserving many foods so that their use can be distributed
over seasons and to places where they are not available fresh. Canned foods thus make possible a
better-balanced and more-varied diet throughout the year (Stanley, Steinbarger, and Shank 1)
This shows that canning was a helpful and economic thing to do; however, canning required
sugar, and sugar was rationed. When the Japanese took over the Philippines, many of the US

sugar imports were cut off, and thus sugar was the first food to have a shortage and also the first
food to be rationed. Because the US government wanted to support canning, they allowed
women to complete special applications to receive more sugar. These applications made the
canners promise that they would can four quarts of fruit for every pound of sugar given them,
usually up to 25 pounds of sugar a year (Sundin).
To encourage home canning, there were many government issued pamphlets as well as
newspaper articles on how to can and other forms of preservation. The New York Times published
articles on how to can, including more than 10 articles with the headline, News of Food,
written by Jane Holt, about various wartime food efforts. Government Bulletins Give Timely
Advice On Home Canning and Conserving Ration was one. Now is Time to Check Canning
Equipment- Experts Discuss Preservation Methods was another. Each one gave helpful tips and
instructions on what the common person could do to support the war effort.
Canning and preserving fruits and vegetables kept morale up, kept bellies full, and kept
people working. The US Government provided support for those willing to help, and newspapers
encouraged canning practices. Overall, canning and other forms of preservation were important
parts of the homeland effort during WWII.

Works Cited
"Canning Shortage Met." New York Times [New York City] 28 July 1942: 34. ProQuest
Historical Newspapers. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.

"Experts Explain Canning Methods." New York Times [New York City] 28 May 1943: 16.
ProQuest Historical Newspapers. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
Guylay, L. Richard. Vegetable Gardening in Wartime. Cleveland: World Publishing Company,
1943. Ball State University Digital Media Repository. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
Holt, Jane. "News of Food: Government Bulletins Give Timely Advice on Canning and
Conservation Ration." New York Times [New York] 16 May 1943: 16. ProQuest Historical
Newspapers. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
Peterson, Anne. "Women to Can Surplus Foods." New York Times [New York City] 7 June 1942:
D4. ProQuest Historical Newspapers. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
Stanley, Louise, Mabel Steinbarger, and Dorothy Shank. Home Canning of Fruits, Vegetables,
and Meats. N.p.: US Department of Agriculture, 1942. Ball State University Digital Media
Repository. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
Stoller-Conrad, Jessica. "Canning History- When Propaganda Encouraged Patriotic Preserves."
National Public Radio. npr, 2015. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
Sundin, Sarah. "Make It Do- Sugar Rationing in World War II." WWII Novels by Sarah Sundin.
Sarah Sundin, 2015. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
Victory Garden Leader's Handbook. N.p.: United States Department of Agriculture, n.d. The
Victory Garden Foundation. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.
Wisendanger, Delpha E. Convenience in Canning and Storing Canned Foods. N.p.: New York
State College of Home Economics, 1943. Cornell University Hearth Library. Web. 10 Mar.
2015.
"World War II on the Home Front: Rationing." Learn NC. UNC, n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2015.