Cultivating Victory: The Women's Land Army and the Victory Garden Movement

Acknowledgments

vii The cultivation of this book has been a long and at times arduous process. In recognition of the process, there are many individuals who helped in the planting of ideas, the sowing of the research and writing, and the harvesting of the publication process. I wish to thank the University of Pittsburgh Press for the opportunity to publish this broad-reaching international story of cultivation as identity. Thanks go to Cynthia Miller, Kelley Johovic, and Alex Wolfe for their professional editorial support. I wish to thank the two anonymous reviewers of the press for their careful scrutiny and guidance of the story. Your insight helped provide a richer and more concrete story than I initially imagined possible. I also wish to thank Maria Sticco for her work in the publicity of the book. I also extend thanks to the dozens of other behind-the-scenes UPP editorial staff members that helped in the publication process. Certainly this book would not be possible without the guidance of Mark Stoll of Texas Tech University in his mentorship and teaching of environmental history. His standards of excellence and his genuine dedication to his students toward graduation and beyond make him a model mentor and historian . Justin Hart, Aliza Wong, and Julie Willett provided support beyond imagination and countless hours of reading. Their guidance shaped the various iterations of the manuscript to the very end. I thank you for a wonderful foundation upon which this story was cultivated. I wish to thank the many archivists and staff of the National Archives of the United States, the Library of Congress, the National Archives of the Acknowledgments United Kingdom, and the Imperial War Museum for their help and guidance in obtaining records and permissions to bring the wonderful historic images to the public through this book. Thanks go to the many wonderful friends and family who supported me and my work. Though there are too many supportive friends and family to list, I want you all to know your support meant the world to me and provided me with the stamina to keep moving forward. Thanks to my parents who taught me the value of commitment and sacrifice; and thanks go to my parentsin -law who provided unending moral support. I wish to thank my husband, David L. Wygant, for his support, encouragement, and assistance in the organization of research, and for being a terrific colleague and friend. I am sure that he read more copies of this manuscript than he ever dreamed of or ever wanted to. Last, I want to express my gratitude to my children, Whitney and Grace. Thanks for showing interest in the topic and for your encouragement in the publishing process. This book is for you. viii acknowledgments Cultivating Victory ...