When Beans were Bullets

The National Agricultural Library in Beltsville, Maryland has materials on every agriculturally related subject under the sun.  According to their website, their collection fills over 48 miles of shelves, making it one of the largest in the world!

from the National Agricultural Library

Tackling 48 miles of books was overwhelming, even for me, but I was completely captivated by the collection of War Era Food Posters entitled “Beans are Bullets” that the NAL exhibited last year.  Fortunately, Cory Bernat, the curator of the collection, created this phenomenal online exhibit that not only displays the posters but also offers an analysis and comparison of the attempts to get the public support for the war effort.  It makes me wish I was a high school social studies teacher what a great introduction to the World Wars and commentary into how our culture has changed.


By chance, I watched Jamie Oliver on TED last night.  He was passionate as he explained that America is leading the world in obesity-related disease and death.  He spoke about the absolute necessity of Americans eating a healthier diet based on WHOLE FOODS, specifically fruits, veggies and grains that are homemade and unprocessed.  He shared the terrifying statistics from the past century that demonstrates the change in our eating habits and their negative consequences.  When I clicked onto the “When Beans Were Bullets” collection at the NAL, it was as if Oliver had written the slogans himself but, of course, the reasons couldn’t have been more different.
 

Jamie explains that we are killing ourselves with our unhealthy, western diet.  He urges Americans to change their diets for survival and to reduce the crushing cost of health care.  In the early 20th century, the US government offered a similar message to support the war effort.  During both world wars Americans were encouraged to conserve food, have meatless and wheatless days, grow their own crops (and can them) and ration goods.  The posters are great fun to check out.  For one thing, the government doesn’t make a lot of posters and billboards anymore (t.v. has taken over that role) and they are such a blast from the past - the ideas and mottos seem so innocent, naive and hopeful - images of earnest housewives canning food and making ‘stale bread’ pudding for their families are hard for me to reconcile with our modern consumer culture.

Some of the slogans that really cracked me up were:

Have you eaten your pound of potatoes today?

Don’t let your land loaf.

Use your spare time profitably:  the garden is not entirely for the farm wife, men must help.  

Idle minutes can be put to good purpose.

Women!  Carry your own packages, make a parcel in hand a badge of honor

Don’t waste food - save dried bread and bread crumbs

Shall we have enough to eat next winter?

Enjoy the exhibit on your own or use it to teach your kids about this amazing time in American history and don’t forget to thank the library for saving it for us to enjoy.