Responding largely to the impact of industrialization and urbanization on American society, educators across the country embraced the "school gardening" and "nature study" movements advocated by Dewey. Promoted in varying degrees as ways to enhance learning, yield food for their schools, build character, and improve neighborhoods, these efforts provided infrastructure for volunteer Victory Gardens during World Wars I and II, but lost popularity soon thereafter. In this article, the author highlights the value of incorporating gardening as a pedagogical tool for teaching undergraduate history by discussing her experiences teaching "Food Policy during World War II" since its introduction in 2016.