The White House has an Organic Kitchen Garden!

Posted On: Apr 01, 09

First Lady Michelle Obama has emphasized the need for fresh, unprocessed, locally grown food; on the Vernal Equinox, those words were put to action. Schoolchildren from Washington D.C.‘s Bancroft Elementary joined the First Lady and helped her dig up the soil for the 1,100-square-foot plot. The last time a victory garden was planted at the White House was by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in 1943. The organic garden’s most important role, Mrs. Obama told The New York Times, is to educate children about healthful, locally grown fruit and vegetables at a time when obesity and diabetes have become a national concern. Here are some of the fresh items the Obamas will have growing: cilantro, tomatillos, hot peppers, a variety of lettuce, spinach, chard, collards, black kale, and berries. There will also be honey! Check out a map of the garden to see what else is growing on!

Last month we asked you to support an Organic Garden at the White House. Thank you! We also asked you to identify a landscape near and transform your own yard, community, or schoolyard. Our call to action still stands. This month, we encourage you to dig your hands into the earth, plant a small garden or expand on an existing garden to commemorate this monumental event!