I think I may have to tell PBS that I am going to hold off on my yearly donation for public broadcasting this time around. Perhaps we can initiate an ePetition? I bet lots of people would join up on a facebook page for the cause! Heck I'm sure Jim would prefer that his work is available.
"May your garden, like mine, give you "Victory" over the high cost of fresh vegetables
as well as the joy and good health that come from living close to nature."
@21beachhead So would I and so many others but WGBH wont release them. They have them. Fairly recently they showed one in public but they cite copyright, broadcast standards and other reasons for not showing them. I think it's ridiculous. Garden shows today are awful. So the show might appear a little lo-fi by today's "plastic standards" who cares? It was PBS(Public Broadcast). I also think the show is marketable that is unless you wait until everyone who viewed it is dead.
I was young when Jim Crockett inspired my first "Victory Garden" and his book has remained my second most prized referance manual.. Last winter my granddaughter was inspired by a children's show to start a vegatable garden and we had a blast! I felt like old Crockett, himself teaching her little tricks. Thanks for remembering this wonderful host and televison show.
Funny how I recall the very first time I saw Jim Crockett's Victory Garden. I had just relocated to the SF Bay Area and caught him re-potting a Camellia. I was charmed by his easy manner which prompted me to watch his show thereafter. To this day I attribute my fondness for Camellias to him. I agree Bob Thompson did his best to keep the show as Crockett wanted it, but the Morashes mutated it into the joke you see today. Wasn't that Russell Morash's wife making those awful recipes on there?
I recall fondly watching Jim Crockett's program. It did go to crap after he died. I think the problem is that Russell morash the producer is interested copying HGTV and making money than in showing anyone how to actually grow something. Plus the sponsors products are more important than the simple advice the Jim Crockett gave. It's no different than the cooking shows. Julia Childs wasn't try to sell gizmos. Everyone now is cooking the sponsors products and grinding up in their machine. Money m
@pal98111 The Bob Thompson & Roger Swain VGs were years before HGTV, which launched in the early 1990s. If anyone was copying anyone, it was HGTV copying PBS.
I'm just 29 years old, but my family has always grown vegetables and I'm doing the same in my own yard. I found my grandfather's copy of Crockett's Victory Garden and have read it through several times. I'd love for PBS to release his old shows on DVD. I'm much more interested in vegetable gardening than the latest landscaping trend. My landscaping is more traditional New England as well.
This show was the reason I got involved with a backyard garden, and have loved it since. I looked forward to watching The Victory Garden each week. Mr. Crockett became one of my favorite people. The show was a wonderful learning tool to down to earth family gardens. Yes you are correct the show now is alright but is a very poor example to what it was at one time. I rarely watch it anymore.
I never missed a program and also enjoyed the guy (Bob Thompson) who followed after Crockett passed on. Since then I have not really enjoyed the show even though Paul Epsom is a neighbor. Jamie Durie needs to go really to much of a nervous energy and all show. Victory Garden was all about "saving" money and growing it yourself. Now esp. Mr Durie shows you a million dollar project. Sorry PBS - you really lost it on this one.
was my favorite weekend show. My young son knew at Lunch time on Saturday mornings,"crockett he'd say" My heart aches when I see these photos as I remember when the shows aired. I shall never forget his death as my middle son was born that same eve ning. I wept both in Joy and sorrow, and when his birthday rolls around I always remember Jim. I remember it was in our paper that evening. I miss his knowledge. true easy to do knowledge of making things grow. his pricipals work .lets re-air.
I desperately need an mp3 of the theme music from Crocketts victory garden, does anyone know where i can download it? The music from this video is fine but I dont know how to get it
I can remember watching this with my mom as a kid (waiting for "Sesame Street" or "Mr. Rogers" to come on, no doubt). Mom still has her copy of the "Crockett's Indoor Garden" book.
I, too, would love to see at least a few of the old episodes made available.
I've had my copy of Crocketts Victory Garden since 1979. It's as relevant today as it was when I first got it. Sadly, the show is no longer for the backyard gardener.
I found his book once at a house we were cleaning the junk out of. Could never grow celery until I read his directions. Wow. I remember he said it should be classified as a bog plant it liked water so much! Lost it thru moving around along with my grandpa's book on botony. So mad at myself.
Amen! This is a win win for the viewers and PBS. Bob Thompson held is own following Jim's death. Russell Morash was responsible for diverting the show's focus from agriculture/gardening to "cooking and off site excursions". Rusell forget the basic rule for maintaining audience: Keep it Simple. What a loss. I miss Bob and Jim. Let's hope Russell decides to run a "Victory Garden Classics" show featuring reruns from Jim Crockett.
One can only hope but I'm beginning to doubt it. The new "Victory Garden" deals with "landscaping". Landscaping has turned into a sport of sorts. In my area the same area the Crockett grew his garden we may have the dreaded blight after all the rain we've had. Some schmuck in Australia is going to know a lot about that? We are being cheated. Crockett would interfere with the modern garden that grows shrubs and medicated grass. Tell you the truth I'd like to punch the programming director.
The theme song is by Bill Spence called the Gaspe Reel. Bill played hammer dulcimer for this and has this on his CD - The Hammer Duclimer by Bill Spence with Fennig's All Stars. Bill recorded the CD in his living room and operated a music store in his garage near Albany NY.
I too am re-reading Jim's old book,JM"s Victory garden.
Istill,to this day,profoundly miss Jim.He had the knack of makeing anyone who heard or read him feel like he was talking to just you!Alto I never met him,I grew to love the man,and his ability to simplify every task that a garden demands!
God bless Jim Crockett<and,perhaps,in time I will meet him!
Please Wgbh,bring back this show in re-runs,or A DVD of the shows!
Jim Crockett was a teacher in every sense of the word. He was so easy to understand and relate to, Imagine a garden where a parking lot had been and to succeed.. I miss him dearly. RIP JIM ,Steve
i just dusted off an old copy of this book i found in my mothers garage and am i ever glad i did! it is the most readable, practical gardening book i have ever read. i am just about to foray into my first urban garden and i was hoping to come across a few of the victory garden episodes here. so, cheers to your efforts to get pbs to rerun or release a dvd!
You said it..it's an easy read. That's not to mean Jim had nothing good to say. He had plenty of good and plenty of common sense.
I've been slacking a bit on here because I've been too busy working on my own garden. Planted Peas today. Package said thin to 6 inches a part and the only thing I could think of was Jim's advice i took long ago....plant peas close together.
I'm quite confident if people continue to talk about Jim Crockett and his "Victory Garden" PBS will release something.
Thanks for the tip Lady Of Maine. I had totally forgotten about other PBS's. Also I will indeed contact that school. I also encourage anyone else interested in this to do the same.
If nothing else it would be nice to see a gardening show whose host wasn't looking to be powdered off between shots.
The concept was "Victory over the high price of commercial produce". There has never been a better time to take up arms(spade, fork, hoe etc)and join the struggle.
What made Crockett's (+ Thompsons) Victory Garden show the best??
1: An honest to goodness REAL backyard master gardener...A real gardener who is NOT a garden show "TV Star".
2: An honest to goodness REAL backyard garden, leaf holes and all, with real help.
3: Frequent looks into other backyard gardens and regions.
4: Genuine invitations= viewer involvement and interaction.
This show has never been supPLANTED. It should have been upROOTED! "Please Bring back THIS kind of programing!!!"
heartshape7 1 day ago
This show has never been supPLANTED. It should have been upROOTED! What made Crockett's (+ Thompsons) Victory Garden show the best??
1: An honest to goodness REAL backyard master gardener...A real gardener who is NOT a garden show "TV Star".
2: An honest to goodness REAL backyard garden, leaf holes and all, with real help.
3: Frequent looks into other backyard gardens and regions.
4: Genuine invitations= viewer involvement and interaction.
"Please Bring back THIS kind of programing!!!"
heartshape7 1 day ago
Thanks for the response.
I think I may have to tell PBS that I am going to hold off on my yearly donation for public broadcasting this time around. Perhaps we can initiate an ePetition? I bet lots of people would join up on a facebook page for the cause! Heck I'm sure Jim would prefer that his work is available.
"May your garden, like mine, give you "Victory" over the high cost of fresh vegetables
as well as the joy and good health that come from living close to nature."
-Jim Crockett
21beachhead 1 week ago
Is the original series available anywhere? I would love to watch these.
21beachhead 1 week ago
@21beachhead So would I and so many others but WGBH wont release them. They have them. Fairly recently they showed one in public but they cite copyright, broadcast standards and other reasons for not showing them. I think it's ridiculous. Garden shows today are awful. So the show might appear a little lo-fi by today's "plastic standards" who cares? It was PBS(Public Broadcast). I also think the show is marketable that is unless you wait until everyone who viewed it is dead.
thevictorygarden 1 week ago
I was young when Jim Crockett inspired my first "Victory Garden" and his book has remained my second most prized referance manual.. Last winter my granddaughter was inspired by a children's show to start a vegatable garden and we had a blast! I felt like old Crockett, himself teaching her little tricks. Thanks for remembering this wonderful host and televison show.
Hammerlix 4 weeks ago
The new version does not even come close. It is more of a Yuppie show, than practical information. They don't even show a food garden.
MichaelSHartman 1 month ago
Funny how I recall the very first time I saw Jim Crockett's Victory Garden. I had just relocated to the SF Bay Area and caught him re-potting a Camellia. I was charmed by his easy manner which prompted me to watch his show thereafter. To this day I attribute my fondness for Camellias to him. I agree Bob Thompson did his best to keep the show as Crockett wanted it, but the Morashes mutated it into the joke you see today. Wasn't that Russell Morash's wife making those awful recipes on there?
toadpoker 3 months ago
I recall fondly watching Jim Crockett's program. It did go to crap after he died. I think the problem is that Russell morash the producer is interested copying HGTV and making money than in showing anyone how to actually grow something. Plus the sponsors products are more important than the simple advice the Jim Crockett gave. It's no different than the cooking shows. Julia Childs wasn't try to sell gizmos. Everyone now is cooking the sponsors products and grinding up in their machine. Money m
pal98111 6 months ago
@pal98111 The Bob Thompson & Roger Swain VGs were years before HGTV, which launched in the early 1990s. If anyone was copying anyone, it was HGTV copying PBS.
whatthedormousesaid 1 month ago
I'm just 29 years old, but my family has always grown vegetables and I'm doing the same in my own yard. I found my grandfather's copy of Crockett's Victory Garden and have read it through several times. I'd love for PBS to release his old shows on DVD. I'm much more interested in vegetable gardening than the latest landscaping trend. My landscaping is more traditional New England as well.
mmoseleywpi 8 months ago
One of my favorite gardening books and shows. TV has no current equal to the show.
hobbitofny 1 year ago
This show was the reason I got involved with a backyard garden, and have loved it since. I looked forward to watching The Victory Garden each week. Mr. Crockett became one of my favorite people. The show was a wonderful learning tool to down to earth family gardens. Yes you are correct the show now is alright but is a very poor example to what it was at one time. I rarely watch it anymore.
ruxtondrive 1 year ago
Great pics, memories and music. I learned a lot from his books and shows. Thanks!
uglyedsel 1 year ago
I never missed a program and also enjoyed the guy (Bob Thompson) who followed after Crockett passed on. Since then I have not really enjoyed the show even though Paul Epsom is a neighbor. Jamie Durie needs to go really to much of a nervous energy and all show. Victory Garden was all about "saving" money and growing it yourself. Now esp. Mr Durie shows you a million dollar project. Sorry PBS - you really lost it on this one.
ljn55555 1 year ago
was my favorite weekend show. My young son knew at Lunch time on Saturday mornings,"crockett he'd say" My heart aches when I see these photos as I remember when the shows aired. I shall never forget his death as my middle son was born that same eve ning. I wept both in Joy and sorrow, and when his birthday rolls around I always remember Jim. I remember it was in our paper that evening. I miss his knowledge. true easy to do knowledge of making things grow. his pricipals work .lets re-air.
northernpost 1 year ago
I desperately need an mp3 of the theme music from Crocketts victory garden, does anyone know where i can download it? The music from this video is fine but I dont know how to get it
carolinelholmes 1 year ago
I'll add my voice to this call to re-release this classic show. Organic home food gardens are vital to our survival.
Redweaver 1 year ago
I can remember watching this with my mom as a kid (waiting for "Sesame Street" or "Mr. Rogers" to come on, no doubt). Mom still has her copy of the "Crockett's Indoor Garden" book.
I, too, would love to see at least a few of the old episodes made available.
mdumas43073 2 years ago
Just contacted WGBH asking about the show - hope they will make tapes or DVD available someday!
zoits 2 years ago
I've had my copy of Crocketts Victory Garden since 1979. It's as relevant today as it was when I first got it. Sadly, the show is no longer for the backyard gardener.
wildbird50 2 years ago
I found his book once at a house we were cleaning the junk out of. Could never grow celery until I read his directions. Wow. I remember he said it should be classified as a bog plant it liked water so much! Lost it thru moving around along with my grandpa's book on botony. So mad at myself.
jerbear54 2 years ago
Amen! This is a win win for the viewers and PBS. Bob Thompson held is own following Jim's death. Russell Morash was responsible for diverting the show's focus from agriculture/gardening to "cooking and off site excursions". Rusell forget the basic rule for maintaining audience: Keep it Simple. What a loss. I miss Bob and Jim. Let's hope Russell decides to run a "Victory Garden Classics" show featuring reruns from Jim Crockett.
SOLISDEUS 2 years ago 2
One can only hope but I'm beginning to doubt it. The new "Victory Garden" deals with "landscaping". Landscaping has turned into a sport of sorts. In my area the same area the Crockett grew his garden we may have the dreaded blight after all the rain we've had. Some schmuck in Australia is going to know a lot about that? We are being cheated. Crockett would interfere with the modern garden that grows shrubs and medicated grass. Tell you the truth I'd like to punch the programming director.
thevictorygarden 2 years ago
The theme song is by Bill Spence called the Gaspe Reel. Bill played hammer dulcimer for this and has this on his CD - The Hammer Duclimer by Bill Spence with Fennig's All Stars. Bill recorded the CD in his living room and operated a music store in his garage near Albany NY.
cliffstrings 1 year ago
I too am re-reading Jim's old book,JM"s Victory garden.
Istill,to this day,profoundly miss Jim.He had the knack of makeing anyone who heard or read him feel like he was talking to just you!Alto I never met him,I grew to love the man,and his ability to simplify every task that a garden demands!
God bless Jim Crockett<and,perhaps,in time I will meet him!
Please Wgbh,bring back this show in re-runs,or A DVD of the shows!
Don Smith,Ancaster Ontario Canada
01skiwiz 2 years ago
Yes indeed WGBH. We want our Crockett reruns! Please??!!
stmrev 2 years ago
Jim Crockett was a teacher in every sense of the word. He was so easy to understand and relate to, Imagine a garden where a parking lot had been and to succeed.. I miss him dearly. RIP JIM ,Steve
northernpost 2 years ago
i just dusted off an old copy of this book i found in my mothers garage and am i ever glad i did! it is the most readable, practical gardening book i have ever read. i am just about to foray into my first urban garden and i was hoping to come across a few of the victory garden episodes here. so, cheers to your efforts to get pbs to rerun or release a dvd!
littlebunnya 3 years ago
You said it..it's an easy read. That's not to mean Jim had nothing good to say. He had plenty of good and plenty of common sense.
I've been slacking a bit on here because I've been too busy working on my own garden. Planted Peas today. Package said thin to 6 inches a part and the only thing I could think of was Jim's advice i took long ago....plant peas close together.
I'm quite confident if people continue to talk about Jim Crockett and his "Victory Garden" PBS will release something.
thevictorygarden 2 years ago
Thanks for the tip Lady Of Maine. I had totally forgotten about other PBS's. Also I will indeed contact that school. I also encourage anyone else interested in this to do the same.
If nothing else it would be nice to see a gardening show whose host wasn't looking to be powdered off between shots.
The concept was "Victory over the high price of commercial produce". There has never been a better time to take up arms(spade, fork, hoe etc)and join the struggle.
Thanks again.
thevictorygarden 3 years ago
All alumni of The Stockbridge School of Agriculture (Jim was an alumnus) should rise to the occasion and contact WGBY.
LadyOfMaine 3 years ago