September 16, 1943 Victory Garden Prizes

Do you recall the Victory Gardens of World War II? Not only was it a way to help the war effort, for two years it was also a fun way to have a little competition and win a prize or two.

The May 15, 1942 Interlaken Review had a front-page article about Victory Gardens. “The campaign, which is intended to encourage as many people as possible to have gardens, is locally under the sponsorship of the Chamber of Commerce, …has succeeded in registering approximately fifty gardens.” Dr. E. W. Thompson, as president of the Chamber, has “been instrumental in arranging for nearly thirty prizes to be awarded for the best gardens and for various specimens of garden vegetables.”

The 1942 exhibit and awarding of prizes occurred at the school on September 10^th. A year later, September 16, 1943, the second Victory Garden Campaign held its exhibit and awarding of prizes. The article, including all of the winners follows.

Interlaken Review, September 24, 1943

More than $90.00 in prizes was awarded to the winners at the 4-H and Victory Garden exhibit, held in the school last Thursday evening, September 16. The splendid prize list, contributed by the Wheeler National Bank of Interlaken and nineteen of Interlaken's business men and women, brought out an exhibit twice the size of last year. Dr. Allen of Cornell, who judged the exhibits, said that their quality was very high. Much credit should also go to Dr. Thompson and the Interlaken Chamber of Commerce for their splendid co-operation.

The lists of winners is as follows:

Best 4-H Club Garden-First, Rose Marie Wilcox; Second, Daniel Bassett; Third, Donald Pell.

Cleanest and Best Kept Garden by Boy or Girl under 16--First, Louise VanDoren; Second, Rose Marie Wilcox.

Best and Most Complete Garden Record by Boy or Girl-First, Rose Marie Wilcox; Second, George Stewart; Third, Eleanor Stewart.

Best Exhibit from 4-H Club Garden-First, Rose Marie Wilcox; Second, Robert Bassett; Third, Phyllis and Robert Warner.

Best Exhibit from non-4-H Club Garden-First, Stanley Wilkins; Second, Arthur Brokaw; Third, George Stewart.

Best display of Canned Produce from 1943 Victory Garden - First, Mrs. M. L. Patterson; Second, Charles Bassett; Third, Shirley McBride.

Largest Amount Canned from 1943 Garden-First, Bernice Stewart (237 quarts); Second, Mrs. Huhn (224 quarts); Third, Rose Marie Wilcox (162 quarts).

Best Can of Fruits or Vegetables: First, Charles Bassett; Second, Rose Marie Wilcox; Third, Mrs. M. L. Patterson.

Best Peck of Potatoes-First, Henry VanDoren; Second, Earl Wilson; Third, Victory Garden Club.

Best Plate of Potatoes-First, Mrs. Howard VanDoren; Second, Bernice Stout; Third, Mrs. Caroline Hand.

Best Plate of Tomatoes-First, Nathan Hanford; Second, Edward Dennison; Third, Helen Caward.

Largest Tomato - First, Shirley McBride; Second, Mrs. Caroline Hand; Third, Stanley Wilkins.

Largest Cucumber - First, Shirley McBride; Second, Mrs. Caroline Hand; Third, Forrest Rosbaugh.

Largest Summer Squash - First Nathan Hanford; Second, Mrs. Howard VanDoren; Third, Vernon English.

Best Plate of Carrots-First, Mr. and Mrs. William Green.

Largest Pumpkin - First, Rose Marie Wilcox; Second, Forrest Rosbaugh; Third, Vernon English.

Largest Cabbage - First, Edward Dennison.

Largest Potato - First, Bernard Stout; Second, Clarence Covert; Third, Earl Wilson.

Mrs. Jack Wiggins judged the canned produce. If that display is any indication, no one in Interlaken will suffer from hunger this winter. Dr. Allen of the College of Agriculture at Cornell judged the gardens and the garden exhibits. He also gave a talk, illustrated with lantern slides, on methods of storing vegetables for winter. It gave a number of good ideas for everyone to use.

After the prizes were awarded, Paul Landon auctioned off a number of the winning entries in return for pledges to buy War Bonds. Three hundred dollars’ worth of War Bonds were sold and credited to the 4-H War Bond drive. Especial thanks is extended to the exhibitors who gave their exhibits to help promote the sale of War Bonds.

These articles are part of the World War II scrapbook kept by the Blauvelt twins, Joanne and Jeanine, daughters of Fred W. Blauvelt, owner and editor of the Interlaken Review.

Dewitt’s Diary, September 16, 1941 and 1943

Tuesday, September 16, 1941

Working on ground for what above the orchard. Temperature 90 at noon. A warm day for September.

Thursday, September 16, 1943 Working on Wheat ground. Francis R and I went to the lake this afternoon.