World War Two: The College Farm – Helping on the Homefront

A Joint Effort

^{_{Amherst Farmer John Bartus Helps Gertrude Lickhardt the Student Director of Farmwork to Plant Seedlings for the College Garden, 1942}}

The Mount Holyoke College Farm was officially inaugurated on May 7, 1943. It was situated on a twelve-acre tract of land located near campus. The previous winter, Mount Holyoke students and faculty had joined forces with South Hadley residents to cultivate a number of seedlings as part of a gardening course held at Massachusetts State College. Many of these seedlings were then transported to the Mount Holyoke College Farm and cultivated by students during the summer months.

^{_{Students Plant Seedlings in the Talcott Greenhouse, 1942}}

^{_{Student Examines Plant in Talcott Greenhouse, 1942}}

An “Ambitious Victory Garden”

^{_{Students Dig in the College Garden, 1942}}

The farm provided a variety of vegetables including tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, potatoes, corn, beans, lettuce, celery, squash, cucumbers, peppers and carrots. The College purchased most of the farm’s produce and used it to feed summer students, including members of the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) who were training on campus over the summer.

^{_{Students Tend to the College Garden Behind the Talcott Greenhouse, 1942}}

A Successful Endeavor

^{_{Torchlight Parade for Working the Greatest Number of Hours on the College Farm During the 12 Week Summer Session, August 1943}}

In August 1943 a torchlight parade was held to reward the students who had put in the most hours on the farm. Although no accurate record was kept, it is estimated that at least half of the college participated during the school year in addition to almost all of the 330 summer students. In 1944, the farm was cut down to seven acres and was finally discontinued in 1945.