Return of the Victory Garden
Friday, March 20, 2009 at 02:24PM 
Today, Michelle Obama will begin digging up the White House lawn to plant a vegetable garden. Not since Eleanor Roosevelt's Victory Garden during WWII has the President's backyard seen such a transformation. During both world wars, the public was urged to plant these aptly named gardens to ease the burden of food production and transport during wartime. Planting victory gardens became a sort of morale booster. It empowered the average citizen through labor, and gave each person a chance to do their part by growing some of their own food. In 1943, there were more than 20 million victory gardens in America, which supplied some 40% of the produce consumed nationally (Michael Pollan, NYTimes Open Letter to the President-Elect).
And now during a time of high energy costs, processed food, and a national obesity crisis, Michelle Obama is doing her part. With 55 varieties of vegetables, the White House garden will of course be a source of food for the Obamas, but it will also serve as a teaching tool, to educate children about healthy eating. In fact, Michelle has recruited 23 5th graders from a local elementary school to help her prepare the garden.
It's refreshing to see the issue of food getting some much deserved attention in the White House. It seems to be a high priority on the first lady's political agenda, and I don't think we'll stop hearing about her crusade any time soon. So if you haven't thought about planting a garden yet, now's your time to follow Michelle's lead and dig up your lawn.
What a victory for local foods!
From Eleanor to Michelle...
Reader Comments (2)
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/23/beet-discrimination-in-the-white-house-garden/
WE NEED TO BRING THE BEETS!
Just found this blog through the Alabama Writers' Forum newsletter. I'm a native Mobilian who's been living in San Francisco for 10 years. Great blog, full of meaty info...makes me want to get down South just to visit the Birdsong Community Farm.
And I like your post about Brooklyn. I used to live in NYC, and I remember when a Krispy Kreme Doughnuts opened on--let me see, I believe it was Columbus Ave. The press loved it, as if New Yorkers had discovered Krispy Kreme. And I'm thining, "I used to go to Krispy Kreme on Govt. Blvd in Mobile when I was five years old to watch them make doughnuts on Sunday morning before church!"
I'm linking to you over at my blog, Sans Serif.