Sunset Magazine July 1943

Sunset Magazine during the era of WW2 was fascinating. The advertisements and content drastically changed to “help the war effort” content, which makes sense given the gravity of the situation. Most notable are Victory Gardens, which was right in Sunset’s wheelhouse.

Victory gardens were vegetable gardens that were planted by civilians in their own yards, community gardens, and on any available plots of land during World War II. They were called "victory gardens" because it was believed that growing one's own food was a way for individuals to contribute to the war effort and achieve victory over the enemy.

Victory gardens were promoted by the government and by various organizations as a way for people to supplement their food rations, which were limited due to the war. Many people were also motivated to plant victory gardens as a way to save money and stretch their food budgets.

Victory gardens were a popular and successful aspect of the war effort. It is estimated that as many as 20 million victory gardens were planted in the United States during World War II, producing around 40% of the vegetables consumed in the country. They also had the added benefit of boosting morale and providing a sense of accomplishment and purpose for those who participated in the effort.