Eleven members of Great Bend Garden Club welcomed a new member, Harriett Fox, to their April meeting. For the morning’s program, member Teresa Bachand introduced Veronica Coons, the Barton County Conservation District’s manager, who gave a little background history on Victory Gardens and shared updates on the Barton County Victory Garden. 

In the United States, Victory Gardens were first planted during both World Wars I and II. They were used for food both for the military defending our country and for private gardens as fresh vegetables were in short supply and families began growing their own.

A new Victory Garden, located at the Barton County Historical Museum and Village, is progressing to the point where a variety of classes on gardening skills have already been taught and will continue to be taught using the two original garden plots which were constructed with that purpose in mind. Information on the classes being offered can be found at the Barton County Conservation District’s office.  

With help and monetary contributions from The Historical Society, The Master Gardeners of Barton County, Be Well Barton County, and the Golden Belt Community Foundation, 10 additional individual plots have been built for the purpose of individuals and families in the county wishing to plant and care for their own gardens. Five of the new beds are raised 24 inches with seating capability around the edges and the other five are raised but closer to the ground (12 inches). Water for the gardens will be located nearby. The beds can be vegetable and/or with flowers (as the flowers draw pollinators) and the gardeners will be fully responsible for maintaining the beds. Applications for using one of the 10 beds had an original deadline for April 25, and names will be drawn from those applications received.

Barton County’s Victory Garden is a member of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s People’s Garden, an effort to empower communities to participate in local food production and provide diversity and resiliency to the food supply chain.

During their business meeting, Garden Club members learned the next step in the rebuilding of the Rose Garden in the cemetery will be the selection of the stone to be used in building up the flower bed and the fountain area. Progress is slow due to the weather. Annual flowers may be planted, but the roses may wait until next year. It was decided to meet at Flavored Celebrations for a May meeting luncheon.  

Garden Club meets on the third Thursday of the month during September through May. Visitors and new members are welcome.