White House Garden: More Victory Gardens

By JULIETTE ROSSANT The hoopla in Washington DC isn't about the economy, foreign policy, or health insurance. It's about the White House Victory Garden. The New York Times reported in several articles about the changes in President Obama's Administration, and the uphill battle to win concessions in Congress, heavily influenced by the farm lobby. So now that the White House has a vegetable garden, what are the rest of us going to do? Wouldn't it be great if kids were inspired to plant vegetable gardens on suburban lawns, school lots, and empty lots? In temperate Northern States, growing a vegetable garden can be tough; but warmer, Southern States could be transformed by suburban vegetable gardens. Even without government help, new policies, and new regulatory agencies to watch over our food supply, so much could be done. What it will take is children inspiring their parents to make changes. Another incentive could come from industry. Super Chef received a press release that is the first indication that food companies might fund some of the vegetable gardens. Reader’s Digest, childhood hunger relief organization Share Our Strength, and Food Network will partner on the Good Food Gardens campaign, a contest where readers will submit a brief writeup explaining why their school or community center should receive a sustainable garden, it was announced today. The campaign will start in the April issue of Reader’s Digest magazines and online at ReadersDigest.com. The contest will award five edible gardens. That's only a drop in the bucket, but if other companies follow suit and enable community groups and schools to start gardens, then there might be significant change. Click here to find out more about the contest. Previous articles: Sustainable Seafood at the Smithsonian Smithsonian Folklife Festival: Food Culture USA Sustainable Seafood Day Rick Moonen: Seafood Watch Mary Sue Milliken & Susan Feniger: Cooking for Solutions Alice Waters: Ms. Smith Goes to Washington Slow Food Thanksgiving by Alice Waters and Prince Charles [White House - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging, cookbooks, cookbook reviews, White House Garden --> back to Super Chef