Dear Ms. Obama:
What will be your first order of business as "Mom-in-Chief"? Here's a suggestion: invite Malia's and Sasha's classmates to plant an organic garden at the White House. Think of the lessons that your children and their classmates will reap.
There can be no grain without pain.
Digging up turf and prepping soil is hard work. Success in the garden is a direct function of the effort that went into creating and sustaining a hospitable environment for plants.
Addressing challenges requires a systems approach to problem solving.
Contrary to popular myth, the most successful organic growers think and act like scientists. They try to emulate not annihilate natural processes.
Humility is one crop that keeps on giving.
When Malia, Sasha and their classmates lose their first crop of peas to _________ (fill in the blank), they'll never forget that experience. It won't be their last crop failure.
Success that is earned is success that is relished.
There is nothing comparable to the experience of creating a meal out of homegrown produce. Imagine the smiles on Malia's and Sasha's faces as they bound into the White House with their first ripe tomatoes.
By encouraging your children and their classmates to get their hands dirty, you just might catalyze a movement that will reconnect Americans with nature and real food.
Josh Hinerfeld is the parent of two children ages eight and fourteen and the chief executive officer of Organically Grown Company, a distributor of organic produce based in Eugene, Oregon. He started gardening when he was eight years old.
Fabulous letter ... I hope you'll actually send it to Mrs. Obama! It would not only be fun for the kids but wow ... what a message it would send to others. Brilliant!
Small Footprints
http://reducefootprints.blogspot.com
I also hope you send it to the White House. I think this would be a wonderful thing. Just imagine all the other families that could be inspired to do the same thing.
Thanks for the kind feedback. I sent a copy of the letter to the White House website and to a science teacher at Sidwell Friends. I tried to send one to Michelle's brother at Oregon State, but it bounced back. I welcome suggesions on how to get the word out.
What a brilliant idea! And a great addition to Michael Pollan's call for a national Food Advisor, a new position that could truly lead the U.S. in a healthier, more sustainable direction. I suggest you let Michael Pollan know about this appeal. Maybe he and others like him will publicize the idea, and even more interest will grow in having an organic garden at the White House. (Interesting that you should choose tomatoes! Of course, they do grow well in D.C., but not so well in the Pacific Northwest.)
Hi, I came across your email through a search. I am trying to connect school garden groups in the spirit of Herbert Hoover's effort during World War I. If you are not familiar with this, their motto was "A garden for every child, every child in a garden" , inspiring boys and girls of all ages to pledge “head, heart, hands and health” through food production and food conservation as part of the World War I war effort to promote world peace”. This is my dissertation topic and I have a similar idea to yours, except I think it should be for all grades and all ages.
Still no word from the White House.
Yesterday, I attended an all day conference at Oregon State University that explored ideas on how to create mechanisms to facilitate the transfer of farm ownership to a new generation. The New York Times reported last weekend that the average age of a farmer in the USA is 57. It's 58 in Oregon.
Who is going to grow crops and raise livestock over the next 20 years? This is a complex topic that requires the kind of systems thinking I alluded to in my note to Michelle. One critical piece of the puzzle is re-connecting young people to the land. School gardens are a great starting point.
Ben:
Interesting tidbit re: the green roof. I forwarded a copy of the letter to the lower school science teacher a couple of weeks ago. I don't know if he read it or not.
THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU JOSH! FIRST HEARD ABOUT THIS IDEA RELATING TO THE WHITE HOUSE DIGGING UP SOME LAWN AND PLANTING A VEGETABLE GARDEN AS AN EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF THE NATION, BUT YOUR IDEA IS EVEN BETTER!!!! PROUD MEMORIES OF MY FIRST VEGETABLE GARDEN ARE STILL WITH ME TODAY.
Thank you the kind words HFam. The New York Times featured a story today about the steps that the Obamas are taking to maintain keep their kids' heads out of the clouds and their feet on the ground. It seems that you and I are in ageement that they could accomplish this, by encouraging them to get their hands dirty.
Earlier today, I planted some purple potatoes that had sprouted some periscopes deep down in one of our kitchen drawers. At least now they might find some daylight. I also took advantage of the dry weather (and soil) to transplant some garlic clumps that had mysterioulsy burrowed their cloves deep into a couple of flower beds. They're wandering days are over.