[Image Credit: Eat the View on Flickr with a Creative Commons license]
Planting a food garden on the White House Lawn? A group of activists is urging president-elect Obama to do just that! They want the harvest from this “organic victory garden” to stock the First Kitchen and local food pantries. “Eat the View” is hoping that transforming the White House lawn into a garden will raise awareness about urban gardening and encourage communities across the U.S. to turn their greenspace into “edible landscapes.”
The Petition
The folks at Eat the View are spreading the word about growing our own food through awareness and education. They’re asking us to take action by signing their petition, calling the White House “America’s House” and arguing that it should set a healthy example for citizens. How amazing would it be to see rows of organic crops growing in place of all of that expansive grass? The plan is to deliver the petition to President Obama along with packets of heirloom seeds. You can also get heard by voting on their page over at On Day One.
This wouldn’t be the first vegetable garden in the White House. John Quincey Adams planted a fruit, vegetable, and herb garden during his presidency.
Local Action
The White House garden is just one of their initiatives. They’re encouraging people to start gardens in their own communities. People can talk about local gardens they’re cultivating on Eat the View’s forums, sharing tips and success stories. Eat the View is a project from Kitchen Gardeners International (KGI): a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging “individuals, families, and communities to achieve greater levels of food self-reliance through the promotion of kitchen gardening, home-cooking, and sustainable local food systems.” KGI helps folks across the U.S. and overseas learn to grow their own food through a network of 7000 gardeners from over 100 countries.
So what do you think? Is growing organic carrots and squash at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue a first step toward food independence? I think there is a lot to be said for leading by example.
About Becky Striepe
Awesome idea..I think with the historic victory and the hopes that Obama’s presidency has brought to the people of America, the organic kitchen idea at the White House could explode into millions of followers across the country and maybe even worldwide. Very creative indeed!