And now for something a little lighter from the White House... the garden as a soapbox

[Peacetrain]

I am so glad to see this.. as gardeners ourselves, my husband and I are so happy to see the First Lady lead the charge in promoting fresh produce and confronting childhood obesity issues that will plague our younger generations and shorten their life spans.







http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100112/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_first_lady_s_garden


WASHINGTON – To Michelle Obama, her White House garden is more than a plot of land. It's also a soapbox.

The South Lawn garden has given Mrs. Obama a platform to speak out about the country's childhood obesity problem, extol the benefits of eating fresh food, and teach children early to appreciate vegetables.

It also has offered Mrs. Obama another way to open the White House to people who don't normally visit.

The garden now is ready for winter, fitted with protective coverings called "hoop houses," a kind of temporary green house, to help keep various crops — spinach, cauliflower, lettuce, carrots, cabbage and other greens — growing during the cold months.

In its first year, aides say the garden has ex-"seeded" expectations. It's become so popular that even foreign dignitaries ask Mrs. Obama about it when they meet. Crops have been donated to a neighborhood soup kitchen, and the first lady's green thumb has inspired others to start gardening, too.

[lunatica]

1. I love Michelle. She knows soup kitchens and the importance of food

in the community. She's the first First Lady to take on obesity in children as well as hunger of the homeless by using food itself. She also feeds dignitaries with the same food. That's a lot of world wide dots connected with her little garden. You have to admire how she connects those dots.

[Vinca]

2. As a person who can't get enough of gardening, I am as jealous

as I can be over some of the beautiful produce that came out of Michelle's garden for "Iron Chef." I've never seen such gorgeous broccoli.

[Clio the Leo]

3. And from a purely political perspective...

.... it's genius. One of the unspoken stories of this admins first year is the BANG UP job Michelle has done. .... Obviously we dont talk about things unless something bad is happening ... but she has come SO FAR in the last two years. Well, I dont think SHE has come far as she's as awesome now as she always was. But they have learned how to work the press to her advantage.

It's a pity she's not more politically inclined as she'd make a great Senator from IL one day. :)