And he gave it for his opinion, that whoever could make two ears of corn, or
two blades of grass, to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew
before, would deserve better of mankind, and do more essential service
to his country, than the whole race of politicians put together.
- Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels
When you see images of the White House Lawns they are always perfectly manicured, graceful and stately. Jacqueline Kennedy and Lady Bird Johnson created gardens that lend a backdrop of peace and beauty to a residence that has the weight of the planet on its doorstep each day...but peas and beets, carrots,spinach and tomatoes??-Change has come to the White House gardens!
A kitchen garden in the backyard-the South Lawn to be exact- of the White House is now settling in and soon will be sprouting providing veggies that the White House chefs will pick and prepare for the First Family and their guests. The first veggie garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt planted one during WWII, Mrs. Obama's garden is also a teaching garden, is there a better classroom than a garden?
two blades of grass, to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew
before, would deserve better of mankind, and do more essential service
to his country, than the whole race of politicians put together.
- Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels
When you see images of the White House Lawns they are always perfectly manicured, graceful and stately. Jacqueline Kennedy and Lady Bird Johnson created gardens that lend a backdrop of peace and beauty to a residence that has the weight of the planet on its doorstep each day...but peas and beets, carrots,spinach and tomatoes??-Change has come to the White House gardens!
A kitchen garden in the backyard-the South Lawn to be exact- of the White House is now settling in and soon will be sprouting providing veggies that the White House chefs will pick and prepare for the First Family and their guests. The first veggie garden at the White House since Eleanor Roosevelt planted one during WWII, Mrs. Obama's garden is also a teaching garden, is there a better classroom than a garden?
Thirty Fifth graders from Bancroft Elementary in DC helped Michelle Obama dig and hoe and prep and plant. These kids were pros as they have a victory garden at their school. Michelle could have taken a lesson on what to wear when planting from them, but these kids also helped show the lessons that this garden will provide to not only school children but every supermarket shopper. Healthy eating, cooperation,local safe food and environmental sustainability as well as a bailout for the food budget. For pennies you can reap what you sow, instead of $3.00 a cucumber a cucumber from your own garden costs just pennies. Green saves green and everyone eats better-worth the digging?-absolutely.
I used to visit and revisit it a dozen times a day, and stand in deep contemplation over my vegetable progeny with a love that nobody could share or conceive of who had never taken part in the process of creation. It was one of the most bewitching sights in the world to observe a hill of beans thrusting aside the soil, or a rose of early peas just peeping forth sufficiently to trace a line of delicate green. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mosses from and Old Manse
Nothing tastes better than homegrown and it really does not take any great gardening skills...roll up your sleeves and turn on your laptop for starters. Do your homework, learn about your zone and what will work best in your backyard,choose veggies you like and learn how they grow-zucchini for example could take over your world-in fact, many veggies will yield more than you can eat-so be sure to donate and share! Start slowly-don't plant the whole back forty and plant what you like. Seeds are fun project to do with kids and very inexpensive. be sure to buy a bag of seeds starter. You can plant in a shallow plastic tub or even an egg carton. Once you have a sprout then transplant to a peat pot with a good soil mix. These pots can be planted right into the ground. Some sun, good moisture and you are on your way. If you are an ornamental gardener like me plant strawberries, patio tomatoes mint, herbs as accents in your containers or scatter a cutting garden amongst your carrots and peas.
I used to visit and revisit it a dozen times a day, and stand in deep contemplation over my vegetable progeny with a love that nobody could share or conceive of who had never taken part in the process of creation. It was one of the most bewitching sights in the world to observe a hill of beans thrusting aside the soil, or a rose of early peas just peeping forth sufficiently to trace a line of delicate green. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mosses from and Old Manse
Nothing tastes better than homegrown and it really does not take any great gardening skills...roll up your sleeves and turn on your laptop for starters. Do your homework, learn about your zone and what will work best in your backyard,choose veggies you like and learn how they grow-zucchini for example could take over your world-in fact, many veggies will yield more than you can eat-so be sure to donate and share! Start slowly-don't plant the whole back forty and plant what you like. Seeds are fun project to do with kids and very inexpensive. be sure to buy a bag of seeds starter. You can plant in a shallow plastic tub or even an egg carton. Once you have a sprout then transplant to a peat pot with a good soil mix. These pots can be planted right into the ground. Some sun, good moisture and you are on your way. If you are an ornamental gardener like me plant strawberries, patio tomatoes mint, herbs as accents in your containers or scatter a cutting garden amongst your carrots and peas.
Here are some good places to get started:
Burpee -The Burpee Seed catalogue has been a welcome addition to the winter mailbox since 1876-guess they know what they are doing and their sales have soared in recent months as Americans decide to cut their food budgets and eat healthier.
Seeds of Change-provides certified organic seeds and has a great website that includes a collection called Seed the Change Collection that includes many of the easy organic varieties Mrs. Obama and the kids planted at the White House.
Gardener's Supply is really one stop shopping for everything you need to get started from seeds to soil to pots and tools-great customer service too!
A vegetable garden in the beginning looks so promising and then after all little by little it grows nothing but vegetables, nothing, nothing but vegetables.
Gertrude Stein
For ideas to get kids involved and what to do with all those veggies...check these out
Burpee -The Burpee Seed catalogue has been a welcome addition to the winter mailbox since 1876-guess they know what they are doing and their sales have soared in recent months as Americans decide to cut their food budgets and eat healthier.
Seeds of Change-provides certified organic seeds and has a great website that includes a collection called Seed the Change Collection that includes many of the easy organic varieties Mrs. Obama and the kids planted at the White House.
Gardener's Supply is really one stop shopping for everything you need to get started from seeds to soil to pots and tools-great customer service too!
A vegetable garden in the beginning looks so promising and then after all little by little it grows nothing but vegetables, nothing, nothing but vegetables.
Gertrude Stein
For ideas to get kids involved and what to do with all those veggies...check these out
