Posted on 04/10/2009 2:49:34 PM PDT by lewisglad
First Lady Michelle Obama, the knees of her cropped black slacks covered in dirt, planted herb seedlings and carrots in her new White House Kitchen Garden Thursday, telling local schoolchildren enlisted to help that fresh veggies are "brain food."
Making the point that homegrown is a cheap way for families to eat healthily, the First Lady asked the kids: "How much do you think it costs to do this garden?"
"Over $100,000," guessed a boy.
Laughing, Mrs. Obama replied, "My husband would go crazy if he thought we were spending that kind of money! ... It's between $100 and $200. So it's not a lot of money. And this garden can not only feed my family, but it's going to feed all the staff at the White House. We're going to serve it at some State Dinners."
Mrs. Obama said the top question she got from world leaders on her recent trip to Europe with the president was about the garden. "From Prince Charles on down, they were excited we were planting this."
As for another pressing question back home – when they'll need to worry about putting chicken wire around the garden to keep out a frolicking First Dog – Mrs. Obama said only, "Soon, soon!"
How about them LETTUSESS!!!!!
Thanks. Can you imagine what kind of fum someone could have doing a spoof on Gone With The Wind starring Barry and Michelle?
The reverse could be hysterical! LOL
Hopefully he rides English, like Eddie Albert.
Good point.
The Duchy of Cornwall is self-supporting. Charles received no income from The Civil List.
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She probably thinks it is arugula.
Another photo op regarding her fake gardening. I will bet she didn’t dig that garden.
He’s with Hope and Change. LOL
This is hilarious. Those are brand spanking new gloves she has on. What’s so funny about that, you ask?
For the first photo op, when they were digging up the grass to make way for this garden, she wore NO gloves. I’m betting she ended up with blisters from all that shoveling and hoeing, and she wasn’t about to suffer that again.
BTW, it seems to be a pre-grown garden. I don’t see any shots of anybody planting seeds. Ha!
I am trying to figure out exactly what plants are in the six pack she is holding.
Looks for all the world to me like carrots, and who plants carrots from a six-pack? I don’t!
Of course it could be dill, but sure looks like carrots to me.
You know, I was thinking the same thing. This photo op just feeds into historical racial stereotypes. Blacks tending the fields. Making the President’s wife do the dirty work, because she is black. Not a good picture.
Why does the first black family have to be the ones who are the first to show undignified photos of the first lady? Are they going to show her scrubbing toilets too? Geez!
If they are going to grow container tomatoes, they need to be taught plant physiology and how to deal with problems like staking or blossom end rot. Container plants really do best if they are miniatures or dwarf varieties bred for pots, to begin with. Not all vegetable plants will do well in a container.
Because container gardening is one of my hobbies, I end up talking about it to people all the time, including all the mistakes I have made, all the problems that can be encountered and how to deal with them.
Most urban dirt is dead, rocky, full of road run off (oil/road salt) and unsuited to gardening. Even suburban lawns can take three years to turn into suitable gardens. It takes that long to get the grass roots out. But, I have read about urban gardens that have been done correctly. A lot of them seem to be raised beds, to get around the dead dirt problem.
I do agree that it is good to try and inspire kids to garden or even just to grow something in a pot. Actually, I think it is good for everyone. But, most people are going to encounter failure and then just give up, if they think it is simply about setting out plants and then suddenly having food.
Oh, just curious to those in the DC area, when is your last frost date? Here in Kansas it is reliably May 5th.
Think city girl will be out on frost warning nights covering the basil?
1. One would think no one thought to grow their own vegetables before mrs. odumba got her knees dirty.
2. Someone should tell mrs. odumba that $10 or $20 (much less $100 or $200) is a lot of money for many people.
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Yes. I can just see the Prince approving of this "project". How many times do you suppose Prince Charles has really done anything other than say "I approve this" or "Go forward with this"? Direct involvement? I very much doubt it.
I will guaran-damn-tee you that those cute little signs alone cost hundreds of dollars - considering they came from some WH approved "sign vendor" and the little project most likely didn't go out to bid.
I just planted some tomatoes, herbs, peppers, etc. and spent nearly $80 on the plants, soil, and supplies - and this was just four buckets hanging from my balconies.
Just like the clintoons, they can't tell the truth about anything. They suck. Period.
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