Growing More Than Vegetables: The Victory Garden is Cultivating Hope in Fenelon Falls

“A garden feeds far more than hunger—it nourishes hope, dignity, and community.”

As grocery prices continue to rise and more families quietly struggle to put healthy food on the table, food insecurity is becoming an increasingly visible reality in communities like ours. Behind every statistic is a neighbour, a senior on a fixed income, a family balancing impossible choices, or a child who deserves access to fresh, nourishing food.

That is why the Victory Garden behind the Maryboro Lodge is so much more than a collection of raised beds. It has become a symbol of what a caring community can accomplish when people come together with a shared purpose.

Each season, dedicated volunteers from the Fenelon Falls Horticultural Society invest countless hours preparing the soil, planting seeds, watering, weeding, harvesting, and tending the garden with care. Every tomato, bean, cucumber, squash, and pepper grown is destined for one purpose—to help stock the shelves of our local food bank and provide fresh, nutritious produce to families facing food insecurity.

In many ways, the Victory Garden reminds us of its historical roots. During times of hardship, Victory Gardens empowered ordinary citizens to grow food not only for themselves but also for the benefit of their communities. Today, while our challenges may look different, the need for resilience, compassion, and local action remains just as important.

The garden also serves as a living classroom. It teaches children where food comes from, demonstrates sustainable gardening practices, and inspires future generations to appreciate the value of growing their own food. Volunteers of all ages work side by side, sharing knowledge, building friendships, and strengthening the fabric of our community one harvest at a time.

The success of the Victory Garden is only possible because of generous donations from local businesses, plant growers, volunteers, and community members who believe that everyone deserves access to fresh food. Every helping hand, every donated plant, and every hour spent in the garden creates a ripple effect that extends far beyond the garden gates.

As we harvest vegetables throughout the summer, we are also harvesting kindness, generosity, and hope. In a world where many challenges can feel overwhelming, the Victory Garden reminds us that meaningful change often begins with something as simple as planting a seed.

The following article was written and published in the Town Crier in 2019 by Judy Kennedy. This outlines a history and meaning of a Victory Garden and how it is an integral part of the food bank and the Fenelon Falls community.

MARYBORO VICTORY GARDENS - Maryboro Lodge, 50 Oak Street,  Fenelon Falls

Victory gardening occurred during both world wars.  The basic idea behind Victory and First World War-era war gardening was much the same: the more produce that could be grown by Canadians in their front yards, vacant lots and former flower gardens, the more food, soldiers and munitions that could be shipped to Canada’s allies overseas. Victory gardening helped to meet existing export commitments, but it also freed railcars and transport trucks to move other strategic goods instead of food.

During World War I, there was a shortage of food in Canada, because farm workers had joined the military and gone to fight in the war. In Europe, farmlands were being devastated by the war, which also led to fresh food shortages.

Victory Gardens were called “War Gardens” or “Food Gardens for Defense”. They consisted of vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens planted at private residences and public parks in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Germany during World War I.

During wartime, the Canadian Pacific Railway flowerbeds at the stationswere converted into small food-production gardens known as "Victory Gardens".

In 1917, Charles Lathrop Pack created the National War Garden Commission in Canada, to encourage women at home to grow and preserve their own food thus more commercial production would then be available for troops and allies overseas.

During World War II, food rationing began in 1942.  Women were motivated to grow Victory Gardens to stretch their rations. Word spread through women’s clubs, garden clubs, civic organizations, and word of mouth. Women’s magazines and the government’s books, flyers, and pamphlets provided instructions on how to garden, from sowing seed, to harvesting and preserving crops, to saving seed for the following year.  

Victory garden produce was also part of a healthy diet according to the newly created Canada’s Official Food Rules (1942) – the precursor to Canada’s Food Guide.

Eleanor Roosevelt even planted a victory garden on the White House lawn. Some of the most popular produce grown included beans, beets, cabbage, carrots, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, peas, tomatoes, turnips, squash and Swiss chard.

A Victory Garden was established in 2017 here at The Maryboro Lodge -The Fenelon Museum in partnership with the Fenelon Falls Horticultural Society.  Maryboro’s Victory Garden provides fresh produce to the local food bank and homebound seniors as our contribution to the defense against hunger in our community.  The Horticultural Society, under theguidance of Judy Kennedy and construction by Robbie Preston, created the garden and looks after the planting and care for each season. Harvested by volunteers and local children, in 2018 and 2019, over 500 pounds of fresh produce was delivered to our local food bank.  

The following organizations, businesses and individuals is a complete list of inaugural contributors to this project

Funding, materials and assistance were originally provided by:

B-Town Group​ Canadian Organic Seed Company

Fenelon Falls Horticultural Society​ Jackett Landscaping

John Howard Society​ Kawartha Heritage

Log Chateau Park​ Maryboro Lodge/Fenelon Falls Museum​

Rob Hughes​ Fenelon Falls Secondary School Students​

The City of Kawartha Lakes

The Fenelon Falls Horticultural Society is proud to continue this labour of love, but there is always room for more helping hands. Whether you have years of gardening experience or simply a willingness to lend a hand, your time can make a lasting difference.

Together, we are growing more than food—we are growing a stronger, healthier, and more compassionate Fenelon Falls.

“The greatest gardens don’t just grow vegetables—they grow communities.”