Last month, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack broke ground (with a jackhammer, literally) on The People’s Garden, which was formerly 1250 square feet of pavement at USDA headquarters. But this act of showmanship, which coincided with Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday celebration, was derided as a publicity stunt. Critics, already skeptical of Vilsack’s appointment as the head of the USDA, pointed out that The People’s Garden was not necessarily designated as a food garden.
As disappointing as The People’s Garden may have been, Michelle Obama has recently announced plans to finally give the people exactly what they wanted in the first place, a White House Garden. The First Lady, along with children from the nearby Bancroft Elementary School, will break ground on the South Lawn today. The White House Garden will feature fruits and vegetables that will be used in the White House kitchen, and kids at Bancroft Elementary will stay involved with the project through harvest.
According to the Associated Press, chef Alice Waters was overjoyed at the news. Hey, I’m reasonably overjoyed myself.
I thought you’d like this news since you referred to it months ago. Barbara