First Lady: White House Garden Will Feed Many

[BlueJessamine]

Run time: 01:29 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERAzoNZlEv4   Posted on YouTube: April 10, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: April 10, 2009 By DU Member: BlueJessamine Views on DU: 1396

 
First lady Michelle Obama planted the first fruit and vegetable seedlings in the new White House garden Thursday, assisted by a group of eager fifth-graders who tend to a similar garden at their school. -AP






My children and I planted seeds a few weeks ago and our tomato plants are already a couple of inches tall. Our sunflowers have already grown tall enought to be repotted.

We also planted some cat grass (Avena sativa) for our cats.

Over the weekend we hope to plant some more.

Happy Good Friday!

Jessamine

[Hope And Change]

1. Great video.Thanks for posting.K & R!

[BlueJessamine]

5. Thankyou! n/t.

[asdjrocky]

2. Yep.

That's my First Lady! Planted my first garden last year, and with luck, I'll never be without one again.

[BlueJessamine]

7. We have had gardens all our lives-

born and raised in the south. My grandmother was Cherokee Indian who taught me about gardening and preserving food, as well as growing flowers for beauty.

It's certainly cheaper to grow your own plants from seeds and plants.

[JDPriestly]

20. Same here -- and planting now.

[peace13]

3. Very cool that you and your children are planting together.

Peace and Love, to you! Kim

[BlueJessamine]

8. Thanks Kim!

My children enjoy it. My son is going to grow a couple of different types of gourds this year too.


Peace and love to you too! Jessamine

[blue sky at night]

4. too early to plant.........

here in Ohio, we had snow for two days this week. I am Hoping spring is just around the corner. Everyone should start growing, you know it is sad in June when the garden stores have so many leftover plants, we need to plant them.

[BlueJessamine]

12. It would so nice . . . .

if garden centers would donate their left over plants to community gardens in their area. :hi:

[TuxedoKat]

6. Following their example

I'm planting a garden this year too. I've always had tomato plants and raspberry
plants and a flower garden but this year I'm getting a roto tiller to start a real
garden for other fruits and vegetables. Just bought a bunch of seeds yesterday.

[KoKo]

9. There are cats living at the White House?

:shrug:

[BlueJessamine]

10. oops. . .

Sorry Koko. I've edited to clarify the end of the AP's message that accompanies the video.

My comments follow. I have the cats referred to.

Jessamine;-)

[democrank]

11. A 4-star project

Bless them, one and all.

[cooolandrew]

13. That's a beautiful thing now if we can bring Monsanto into line it'll be whole new era of organic >

gardens.

[avaistheone1]

17. From your lips to God's ears

[Twinguard]

14. It is so refreshing

to have a President and first family that set such a good example.

Kudos to you, Michelle, you are fantastic.

[Ilovevermont]

15. First lady and children start garden

This may seem simply symbolic but is something that is taking place in many areas of this country. Although I live in the country in upstate NY, I am delighted to see groups in our nearest city, Binghamton, working to start urban gardens, especially in poor neighborhoods. Although there are limitations in a northern climate, a great deal of fresh food can be grown, and people do appreciate the opportunity to be more sustainable, whether food is grown in community garden beds, containers, or part of what was once a lawn. Vegetables are beautiful, and many flowers, some edible,also bring beauty to any town or city. Growing plants for food is a way of connecting to the earth directly, and beginning to treasure rather than destroy.
One thing to be aware of though. Do not use genetically modified seeds. Paying a bit more for seeds the first year can bring the opportunity to save viable seeds for next year.
The snow has melted here and we are getting maple buckets off the trees and plants started indoors for the season.

[tomm2thumbs]

16. if is REALLY is brain food, they should donate some of the harvest to Bush in Texas

no use in putting any more food into Cheney - he's a bottomless pit

[Turborama]

18. Remarks Of The First Lady At White House Garden Planting & White House Garden Fact Sheet

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the First Lady
__________________________________________________
For Immediate Release April 9, 2009

REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY
AT WHITE HOUSE GARDEN PLANTING


South Lawn
3:15 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA: Well, hello! Hi, Sam, how are you? Wow, look at this. This is a big difference. How are you guys doing?

CHILDREN: Fine!

MRS. OBAMA: Well, welcome to the White House -- the White House Kitchen Garden. This is pretty exciting, right?

CHILDREN: Yes!

MRS. OBAMA: Well, who -- how many of you were here the last time to help us? Oh, you guys were all here. I thought I saw some familiar faces. So you know what we're doing -- this is part two. What are we going to do today?

CHILDREN: Planting.

MRS. OBAMA: We're going to plant the seeds. And I want to introduce you to Secretary Vilsack, who is the head of the Department of Agriculture. He's going to talk in a minute about some of the programs he's going to do for your school lunches.

But first, one thing I want to let you know -- I don't know if you were paying attention, but the President and I, we went on this long trip. We were in many, many countries -- we were in Europe. And the number one question I got as the First Lady from world leaders -- they were all excited about this garden.

Every single person, from Prince Charles on down, they were excited about the fact that we were planting a garden, because in many countries they really believe in the importance of planting and growing your own food. So they were fascinated and grateful to all of you for helping make this possible.

So what I want to ask again -- why do you -- why is this so important? Why do you think it's important for us to plant this garden?

Yes.

CHILD: Because it's been since -- a long time since Roosevelt planted --

MRS. OBAMA: That's a good -- we have a historical perspective. It's been a very long time since a garden was planted, since the time of Roosevelt. This is a young historian here. That's true.

What about you, young lady? What do you think? Why is this important?

CHILD: So you can be healthy.

MRS. OBAMA: So you can be healthy. So why do you think fruits and vegetables are important to health? Yes.

CHILD: (Inaudible.)

MRS. OBAMA: Fruits and vegetables have nutrients and vitamins, yes.

CHILD: Energy?

MRS. OBAMA: Energy. Energy, absolutely. Any other? You, young man.

CHILD: It can make you strong.

MRS. OBAMA: It can make you strong -- yes, absolutely. This is one of the main reasons we're doing this, is that what I've learned as a mom, in trying to feed my girls, is that it is so important for them to get regular fruits and vegetables in their diets, because it does have nutrients, it does make you strong, it is all brain food. And when you go to school, it is so important for you to have a good breakfast, to make sure in your lunches that you have an apple or an orange or a banana, that you have something green when you eat any meal, lunch or dinner.

And we're looking to you guys to help educate the country, not just in your own homes, but other people as they think about how to plan their meals for their kids, to think about the importance of making sure that we have enough fruits and vegetables. And doing this garden is a really inexpensive way of making that happen.

Do you know how much -- I mean, look how big this garden is. Do you know how much it costs to just do this? And we're going to have carrots and spinach and herbs and berries. We're going to have a ton of stuff in this garden. How much do you think it costs to do this garden? How much?

CHILD: Over $100,000.

MRS. OBAMA: Over $100,000. (Laughter.) My husband would go crazy -- (laughter) -- if he thought we were spending that kind of money. No, a little lower than that. How much do you think? You.

CHILD: I think $5,000?

MRS. OBAMA: $5,000? No, a little lower. Yes.

CHILD: $1,000?

MRS. OBAMA: $1,000? No.

CHILD: $200.

MRS. OBAMA: $200 -- it doesn't -- it hasn't cost us more than $200 to plant this.

CHILD: $100?

MRS. OBAMA: It's about $100 -- it's between $100 and $200. So it's not a lot of money. And this garden can not only feed my family, but it's going to feed all the staff at the White House. We're going to use these vegetables to help feed you guys. We're going to serve it at some State Dinners. So with this little plot of land -- and this is a big plot; you don't even have to plant this much -- we can produce enough fruits and vegetables to feed us for years and years to come -- for just a couple of hundred dollars. Now, isn’t that amazing?

So we're looking to you guys to help us make it happen. So we're going to plant the seedlings today. And then in a few months, hopefully right around the time you get out of school, you can come and help us harvest the fruits and vegetables, and come into the White House with all of our chefs and start doing a little cooking. How does that sound?

CHILDREN: Good.

MRS. OBAMA: Well, thank you guys for coming back again. I hope you had fun the first time. You guys are weather producers because you have brought another perfect day. Thank you for that. And now I'm going to turn it over to Secretary Vilsack, who is going to talk a little bit about some of the programs he's doing especially for school lunch programs.

Secretary Vilsack. (Applause.)

END
3:20 P.M. EDT


White House Kitchen Garden Fact Sheet


LOCATION
The White House Kitchen Garden measures approximately 1100 square feet and is located on the west side of the South Lawn. It is visible from E Street, with a perfect southern exposure which provides a great deal of sun light.

SOIL
The soil was tested and was found to be in good shape, including trace elements. Amendments have been made to enrich the soil and rock dusts of lime, green sand, crab meal sourced from the Chesapeake Bay and White House compost have been added to improve the macro and micro nutrient balance. Only organic fertilizers and insect repellants will be used and lady bugs and praying mantises will be introduced to naturally control other insect populations. A honey bee hive has been set up nearby for pollination purposes.

PLANTS
The four-season herb, fruit and vegetable garden will feature 25 varieties of heirloom seeds planted in slightly raised beds using succession planting methods.

Perennial Herbs:
Mint, Garlic Chives, Chives, Thyme, Oregano, Anise hyssop, Sage, Rosemary, Marjoram, Chamomile

Annual Herbs:
Parsley, Basil, Thai basil, Cilantro, Dill, Fennel

Vegetables:
Lettuces (Green Oak Leaf, Red Romaine, Butterhead, Speckled), Spinach, Onions, Shallots, Chard, Snap Peas, Shell Peas, Carrots, Black Kale, Rhubarb, Arugula, Tomatoes, Tomatillos, Peppers (sweet and hot), Beans, Cucumbers, Okra, Sweet Potatoes

Fruits:
Blueberries, Raspberries

Additionally, The Monticello Foundation and head gardener Peter Hatch have donated seeds and sprouts that originated in Thomas Jefferson’s garden. Plantings will include Brown Dutch and Tennis Ball lettuces, Savoy Cabbage, and Prickly Seed Spinach, all reportedly Jefferson’s favorites, and a favorite fig plant, the Marseille Fig, will be planted in a raised bed with Mint.

MAINTENANCE
The garden will be tended by Dale Haney, Grounds Superintendent for the White House, and the White House kitchen staff, including Sam Kass, Assistant White House Chef and Food Initiative Coordinator. Students from Bancroft Elementary in Mount Pleasant, Washington, DC will participate in the groundbreaking, planting and harvesting of the garden.

HARVEST
Produce from the garden and honey from the hive will be available to the White House Chefs for preparing meals for the First Family, for official functions and donations will be made to Miriam’s Kitchen, a soup kitchen near the White House.

COSTS
The cost for the seeds and amendments is approximately $200.

More: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/FLOTUS-remarks-from-garden-planting-event/

:kick: & R off to the Greatest!

[BlueJessamine]

19. Thanks for posting this

and the K&R!!

[Turborama]

21. My pleasure. Did you see the piece Erica Hill did on AC360 last night?

It was great to hear what a positive influence her gardening is having on the country. I a a HUGE fan of Michelle and have to admit to getting a bit emotional when I watched this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TN0frCQo0kA

[BlueJessamine]

22. I'm a fan to.

Thanks for sharing the video, I hadn't seen it.:fistbump: