Tuesday, 28 May 2024

Dig For Plenty

More on the agricultural/food-growing theme.

The 'Dig For Victory' campaign of WW2 is well established in folk memory; in people over 40 it is every bit as much a part of the historical consciousness of the war as the beaches at Dunkirk, storm-tossed merchant convoys, the Blitz, the Home Guard and so forth. But - and it was news to me - there was also a 'Dig For Plenty' campaign in the immediate post-war period, as the nation faced serious food shortages. More on this can be found in WORK 16/1718 at The National Archives: much of the rationale behind the campaign - national food insecurity and an inability to feed ourselves, political chaos, supply-line disruption - still makes sense in 2024, although it's hard to imagine an equivalent campaign today, more's the pity. Still, the 'Dig For Plenty' campaign might be worth researching further; and contemplating the state of the world (admittedly never a good idea), we might need all the help we can get in dealing with what's coming down the track.

Here's a shot of the campaign leaflet cover: