The Victory Gardener was an idea inspired by my Extensions Master Gardener training; a place for local families with an interest in growing vegetables, fruits and herbs to come together for inspiration, education, and brainstorming geared toward successful food gardening. Because this is focused in Jackson County, MI, I will be keeping our food focus on gardening in our USDA Hardiness Zone: Zone 5b.I have dedicated this as my project to maintain my certification as an MSU Extensions Master Gardener because I enjoy sharing my passion and seeing others succeed.
My vision for this project include monthly meet ups with a different topic to learn about each month and brainstorming/ garden related chit chat in person where we can discuss our garden planning and progress. On the social media aspect, through this page, my vision includes regular, interactive educational topics (some with video), and discussion. It is my goal to help connect as many of our local backyard growers together as possible so we can all encourage and share with one another.
As someone who has grown food for many years as a means to feed her family well, I want to encourage other families to break ground in their own back yards and experience the same joy and satisfaction. I hope to be able to share the things I have learned over the years and as a part of my training to help make your experience successful and enjoyable. Getting started with gardening can seem so overwhelming – don’t give up! I am here to help you navigate your journey.
I chose the name of The Victory Gardener as a nod toward not only the necessity of gardening during WWI & WWII (which for some families is still a necessity), but also the sense of victory that you experience when you successfully grow delicious food right in your own backyard.