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Michelle Obama Takes Anti-Obesity Drive to Food Makers
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Russians Share Michelle Obama's Love of Veggie Gardens
First lady Michelle Obama is in Russia this week, but Russians don't want to talk about what she thinks of living in the White House. They show no interest in her views on philandering politicians. And -- thank God -- no one has even broached the subject of sleeveless dresses in her wardrobe. What they do want to talk about, The Washington Post's Robin Givhan reports, is her gardening, specifically, for food.
Household food gardens are a mainstay for Russian families, but Americans have relied on them less. The Christian Science Monitor recently noted that in urban areas of Russia alone, 56 percent of households had a food garden. Compare that to a recent study by the National Gardening Association showing that 31 percent of U.S. households had a food garden in 2008. That figure is on the rise, though, with a projected increase of 7 million more U.S. household gardens in 2009.
So who -- besides Michelle Obama -- gardens for food in America, and why do they do it? The NGA paints a picture that is (literally) all over the map, with gardeners spread across the country, but mostly college-educated, married and without children. And, unlike farming, where men outnumber women -- though the latest census figures show women are on the rise there, too -- more women than men garden for food.
It makes sense that gardening for food in America is ready to undergo a resurgence as people become more interested in where their food comes from. But what about charges that the burgeoning food movement is elitist and focused on the wealthy? It's true that less than a quarter of the gardeners surveyed were making under $35,000 annually and the costs associated with gardening and having the space to garden -- advances in urban gardening and community gardens in the heart of cities notwithstanding -- can pose some significant challenges. Still, the costs of gardening may also considerably offset the cost of otherwise purchasing healthy food. In fact, 62 percent of those who garden for food said that the recession and the worsening economic climate were at least part of their motivation for gardening.
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Comments (18)
Tom
7:43PM Jul 7th 2009
So Michelle Obama is adopting something like food gardening that the Russians have been doing for decades. This seems to be a trend in modern White House culture, as the Bush administration also tried to adopt Russian ideas:
Calling on children to turn in their parents;
Asking neighbors to spy on neighbors;
Making sure there was no capitalist competition, by granting contracts to well connected companies, without bidding and without considerations of competence;
Fabricating lies to support foreign policy goals.
Obama varies from the Bush pattern by doing things that are good for the general population rather than just for the wealthy, power elite.
Calling on children to turn in their parents;
Asking neighbors to spy on neighbors;
Making sure there was no capitalist competition, by granting contracts to well connected companies, without bidding and without considerations of competence;
Fabricating lies to support foreign policy goals.
Obama varies from the Bush pattern by doing things that are good for the general population rather than just for the wealthy, power elite.
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(-2)
(-2) 
el burpo
9:25PM Jul 7th 2009
All this wonderful stuff the Obamas are doing (solidly endorsed by impoverished Russian citizens, no less!) and yet Tom's still obsessed with the Bush administration.
You guys are like that crack addict scouring the carpeting for a fragment of rock. Jonesin' for the buzz of self-righteous hate.
Get to a meeting.
You guys are like that crack addict scouring the carpeting for a fragment of rock. Jonesin' for the buzz of self-righteous hate.
Get to a meeting.
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(2)
(2) jentans1
9:30PM Jul 7th 2009
I heard they sent a TickleMe Plant to the Whitehouse. Let's hope they grow one, as I did. THE TickleMe Plant is a REAL Plant that MOVES when you Tickle IT! The leaves instantly fold and even the branches droop when Tickled! You have to believe it will change the way young people look at plants. I found the TickleMe Plant Greenhouse and even TickleMe Plant Party Favors at http://www.ticklemeplant.com The coupon code PLANT takes $2.00 off any item.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (1)
(1) park457799
9:41PM Jul 7th 2009
Is there anyone out there who is normal and can write an interesting article? This is absolutely stupid! These people are either obsessed with Obama or Sarah Palin. How about an article on the unemployment rate? How about an article regarding a second stimulus plan by Obama and Biden? How about an article on global cooling?
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(5)
(5) Lacy Lady
1:21AM Jul 8th 2009
Sometimes people have to be educated. I am 80 years old and remember my parents talking about the great depression. People planted gardens,and they canned vegs. We didn't have fast food places----we cooked at home. People in this day and age don't know how to conserve during hard times.
They would just rather sit and blame everyone for their problems.
Planting a garden brings good food to the table. Eating healthy makes for healthy children. Healthy children require less Doctor bills. It is all about life-style. Yes----times are rough now, but nowhere near what we went thru during the great depression.
My grandparents had a grocery store, and carried grocery bills for people who could not afford groceries. Years later, when the children of these people found work in Chicago and The tri-cities, they paid off these bills.
Do you think that we have people in this day and age that do this?
I would say that only a few.
They would just rather sit and blame everyone for their problems.
Planting a garden brings good food to the table. Eating healthy makes for healthy children. Healthy children require less Doctor bills. It is all about life-style. Yes----times are rough now, but nowhere near what we went thru during the great depression.
My grandparents had a grocery store, and carried grocery bills for people who could not afford groceries. Years later, when the children of these people found work in Chicago and The tri-cities, they paid off these bills.
Do you think that we have people in this day and age that do this?
I would say that only a few.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (2)
(2) park457799
2:05AM Jul 8th 2009
Lacy Lady
1:21AM Jul 8th 2009
Sometimes people have to be educated. I am 80 years old and remember my parents talking about the great depression. People planted gardens,and they canned vegs. We didn't have fast food places----we cooked at home. People in this day and age don't know how to conserve during hard times.
They would just rather sit and blame everyone for their problems.
Planting a garden brings good food to the table. Eating healthy makes for healthy children. Healthy children require less Doctor bills. It is all about life-style. Yes----times are rough now, but nowhere near what we went thru during the great depression.
My grandparents had a grocery store, and carried grocery bills for people who could not afford groceries. Years later, when the children of these people found work in Chicago and The tri-cities, they paid off these bills.
Do you think that we have people in this day and age that do this?
I would say that only a few.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
I don't know where you have been the last few months but to enlighten you, we are on our way to a significant depression! North Korea would like to utilize us for target practice every week. Obama just took over GM aka Obama Motors. The Obama list goes on! I could care less about the Obama's and their garden. I have a garden and there are gardens galore in my neighborhood and have been since I have lived here (over 20 years). This was a stupid article, plain and simple!
1:21AM Jul 8th 2009
Sometimes people have to be educated. I am 80 years old and remember my parents talking about the great depression. People planted gardens,and they canned vegs. We didn't have fast food places----we cooked at home. People in this day and age don't know how to conserve during hard times.
They would just rather sit and blame everyone for their problems.
Planting a garden brings good food to the table. Eating healthy makes for healthy children. Healthy children require less Doctor bills. It is all about life-style. Yes----times are rough now, but nowhere near what we went thru during the great depression.
My grandparents had a grocery store, and carried grocery bills for people who could not afford groceries. Years later, when the children of these people found work in Chicago and The tri-cities, they paid off these bills.
Do you think that we have people in this day and age that do this?
I would say that only a few.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
I don't know where you have been the last few months but to enlighten you, we are on our way to a significant depression! North Korea would like to utilize us for target practice every week. Obama just took over GM aka Obama Motors. The Obama list goes on! I could care less about the Obama's and their garden. I have a garden and there are gardens galore in my neighborhood and have been since I have lived here (over 20 years). This was a stupid article, plain and simple!
RATE THIS COMMENT:
(3)
(3) Crystal
10:09PM Jul 7th 2009
park457799 - I agree with you about the irrelevancy of this article.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (2)
(2) strudykatcat
10:52PM Jul 7th 2009
The Russians had to garden for years if they wanted to eat. Didn't Obama advise people to plant gardens and can produce to save money. Enjoy your new "improved" way of life, comrades.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (2)
(2) Uncle Ed
4:59AM Jul 8th 2009
How is the garden at our Whitehouse doing. We need a report on the garden.
This is about the time when we should stsrt picking.
This is about the time when we should stsrt picking.
RATE THIS COMMENT:
(0)
(0) CJ
10:19AM Jul 8th 2009
ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE
First Lady Michelle Obama's garden growing well: White House harvesting plenty of veggies
The never-ending rain may be wreaking havoc with everyone's weekend plans this summer, but at the White House Garden this week, it was hailed as the reason the crops were so lush and abundant.
As fifth grade students picked 73 pounds of lettuce and 12 pounds of peas, assistant White House Chef Sam Kass noted that the garden had flourished quickly due to the downpours, the Washington Post reported.
Besides the lettuce and peas, the 1,100-suare foot, L-shaped garden has also produced beans, kale, chard, collard greens and herbs, Kass told the paper.
The White House kitchen has been turning the garden's beans into dinner fare every other day and the fresh herbs are used nightly.
Kass also noted that no chemicals were used on the vegetables, and Bo, the family dog, didn't eat any of the plants.
Earlier this week, pupils from Bancroft Elementary School, many of whom had helped First Lady Michelle Obama plant the garden back in April, returned to pick what they'd sown.
Dressed in jeans and yellow T-shirts, they were divided into groups to harvest, sort and weigh lettuce heads and snap peas, according to the Post.
The kids knelt in the dirt alongside the First Lady, who demonstrated how to eat raw sweet peas.
"It tastes great, doesn't it, when the vegetables are fresh?" she asked the students, according to an official White House transcript. "We all have to have vegetables every single day, every day."
When the garden was planted in April, Michelle Obama said the garden was "real inexpensive," no more than $200, and would yield "a ton of stuff."
"We can produce enough fruits and vegetables to feed us for years and years to come, for just a couple of hundred dollars."
The AP reported at the time that some crops would feed White House guests, staffers and the Obama family.
The garden has actually been yielding results for some time. As of last month, 80 pounds of lettuce had already been used, some of which was served at a luncheon for Congressional spouses.
Most of the lettuce as well as other vegetables were sent to the Food Pantry.
First Lady Michelle Obama's garden growing well: White House harvesting plenty of veggies
The never-ending rain may be wreaking havoc with everyone's weekend plans this summer, but at the White House Garden this week, it was hailed as the reason the crops were so lush and abundant.
As fifth grade students picked 73 pounds of lettuce and 12 pounds of peas, assistant White House Chef Sam Kass noted that the garden had flourished quickly due to the downpours, the Washington Post reported.
Besides the lettuce and peas, the 1,100-suare foot, L-shaped garden has also produced beans, kale, chard, collard greens and herbs, Kass told the paper.
The White House kitchen has been turning the garden's beans into dinner fare every other day and the fresh herbs are used nightly.
Kass also noted that no chemicals were used on the vegetables, and Bo, the family dog, didn't eat any of the plants.
Earlier this week, pupils from Bancroft Elementary School, many of whom had helped First Lady Michelle Obama plant the garden back in April, returned to pick what they'd sown.
Dressed in jeans and yellow T-shirts, they were divided into groups to harvest, sort and weigh lettuce heads and snap peas, according to the Post.
The kids knelt in the dirt alongside the First Lady, who demonstrated how to eat raw sweet peas.
"It tastes great, doesn't it, when the vegetables are fresh?" she asked the students, according to an official White House transcript. "We all have to have vegetables every single day, every day."
When the garden was planted in April, Michelle Obama said the garden was "real inexpensive," no more than $200, and would yield "a ton of stuff."
"We can produce enough fruits and vegetables to feed us for years and years to come, for just a couple of hundred dollars."
The AP reported at the time that some crops would feed White House guests, staffers and the Obama family.
The garden has actually been yielding results for some time. As of last month, 80 pounds of lettuce had already been used, some of which was served at a luncheon for Congressional spouses.
Most of the lettuce as well as other vegetables were sent to the Food Pantry.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (1)
(1) DD8V92
6:09AM Jul 8th 2009
The Russians realized this early while enjoying the fruits of Communism.
If we want to eat, we will have to grow our own food. While the commies were funding their "war machine" the people of Russia were being left out in the cold. It would be a good Idea to start a garden. It might be where you get your next meal. Funny how American politicians, especially those who lean to the 'left', would want to "enlighten" us on the Russian way of life. Could it be a "Preview of Comming Attractions"
Lay off the Kool-Aid and take off your Obama colored glasses and wake up and see what is going on around you.
If we want to eat, we will have to grow our own food. While the commies were funding their "war machine" the people of Russia were being left out in the cold. It would be a good Idea to start a garden. It might be where you get your next meal. Funny how American politicians, especially those who lean to the 'left', would want to "enlighten" us on the Russian way of life. Could it be a "Preview of Comming Attractions"
Lay off the Kool-Aid and take off your Obama colored glasses and wake up and see what is going on around you.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (3)
(3) moderate
1:44PM Jul 8th 2009
what afear mongering reactionist loser. being rude to an older woman because you hate for no reason. We are not becoming, socialist, communist, marxist, third world or any other moronic word you can come up with. Start helping instead of spreading false fear and real hate. 105 or even 11% does not equal the demiss of the USA, just a few negative fearful people such as yourself have lost their grip on reality.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (-4)
(-4) irina
9:48AM Jul 8th 2009
This article would be classified under "human interest," meaning just something interesting and curious to momentarily take your attention away from the harsh realities of the present world... If you dont think it is relevant, or interesting... DONT READ IT! If you want to read some more about unemployment and depression, there is plenty to read about that on this website.
Its an interesting article and I actually have to fully agree with Lacy Lady about Americans having to make lifestyle changes instead of complaining.
Its an interesting article and I actually have to fully agree with Lacy Lady about Americans having to make lifestyle changes instead of complaining.
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(0) wheeljc
9:49AM Jul 8th 2009
The following is not seen in any headlines in the USA! WONDER WHY???
http://www.brutallyhonest.org/brutally_honest/2009/07/putin-praises-bush-disses-obama.html
http://www.brutallyhonest.org/brutally_honest/2009/07/putin-praises-bush-disses-obama.html
RATE THIS COMMENT: (2)
(2) gimmea6
8:33PM Jul 8th 2009
Michelle loves veggie gardens for photo ops. Russians like them for food to stem hunger born of poverty. We'll soon have that "privilege" if Barack has anything to say about it.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (2)
(2) ProPalin
2:00PM Jul 9th 2009
no one has even broached the subject of sleeveless dresses in
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No, because you people have your heads so far up obama butt, you won't call it what it is. DISRESPECTFUL. NOT DONE. INAPPROPRIATE. NO CLASS OR STYLE. Instead, you compare her to Jackie Kennedy, who is gnashing her teeth and yelling NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! in her grave.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No, because you people have your heads so far up obama butt, you won't call it what it is. DISRESPECTFUL. NOT DONE. INAPPROPRIATE. NO CLASS OR STYLE. Instead, you compare her to Jackie Kennedy, who is gnashing her teeth and yelling NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! in her grave.
RATE THIS COMMENT: (1)
(1) DD8V92
6:08PM Jul 9th 2009
moderate
1:44PM Jul 8th 2009
what afear mongering reactionist loser. being rude to an older woman because you hate for no reason. We are not becoming, socialist, communist, marxist, third world or any other moronic word you can come up with. Start helping instead of spreading false fear and real hate. 105 or even 11% does not equal the demiss of the USA, just a few negative fearful people such as yourself have lost their grip on reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is painfully obvious you ignored the last line of the post.
Poor moderate, still dazzled by the prospects of a perfect "Obama" World,
where those who possess the "entitlement mentality" will have their every need met.
After all, he said he would.
A famous quote by W.C. Fields:
"There is a sucker born every minute"
1:44PM Jul 8th 2009
what afear mongering reactionist loser. being rude to an older woman because you hate for no reason. We are not becoming, socialist, communist, marxist, third world or any other moronic word you can come up with. Start helping instead of spreading false fear and real hate. 105 or even 11% does not equal the demiss of the USA, just a few negative fearful people such as yourself have lost their grip on reality.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is painfully obvious you ignored the last line of the post.
Poor moderate, still dazzled by the prospects of a perfect "Obama" World,
where those who possess the "entitlement mentality" will have their every need met.
After all, he said he would.
A famous quote by W.C. Fields:
"There is a sucker born every minute"
RATE THIS COMMENT: (3)
(3) kilnntime
11:39AM Jul 12th 2009
Lovely story about having a garden, problem being people in Russia plant them to survive , this country most who plant gardens are not doing it to survive but because they enjoy it. Well at least until now, with money getting tighter many are gardening, in fact this year we planted a garden again, something we have done in the past when money was tight. The thing that struck me was such a big deal is made about Palin hunting, but they do actually eat the meat, its putting food on the table but for whatever reason her hunting is which has been done for centuries as another way to put food on the table is ridiculed. Michelle Obama and her garden which she does not tend herself and other than a photo opt her participation in the garden is zero yet she is cheered like a hero. Unless your a vegetarian, eating meat is a part of your diet, when times get tough enough I wonder will you resort to hunting for food? I find it interesting that basically your being told you need to plant a garden so you can eat because time are getting tough and going to be tougher and so many are just busy gushing about how wonderful the Obama's are, will you still think that when your unemployed, homeless and hungry? Better plant that garden and you might want to get a gun, deer season is coming and that like the garden yeilds dinner on the table during tough times. It does zero good for the food to be in the grocery store if you cant afford to buy it. I think people need to wake up 11% unemployment means 11 out of 100 people are not working, if they are not working they have no income, that means someone, you, me whoever is working have to pay to subsidize their lives can you afford to subsidize their lives and still afford to maintain yours? Something to think about how many GM plants and Chrysler plants are closing even after we bailed them out to save the jobs? How many dealerships are being forced to close even though dealerships are franchises (meaning someone bought the right , much like McDonalds franchise or Subway franchise) and have mechanics and sales people and office personal who all were making a paycheck but suddenly are going to be without a job inspite of the bailout and inspite of the fact that the dealership was holding its own and supplying the jobs. At what point will people realize that the reckless spending in the name of stimulus has only left the rest of America in jeopardy as unemployment rises, more and more people become dependant on government, and the closer we get to being like those Russians who garden out of necessity and not because they think its enjoyable.
How many GM and Chrysler plants in other countries are closing and how many in America are closing. Personally I feel like we bailed them out if any plants are to close it should be those located outside of the USA. The USA can not survive not producing anything, look at your clothes, 40 yrs ago most clothing was produced in the USA now its made in tiwann , china, ect, jobs lost by Americans, American cars were made in America, now more are made in mexico and canada and overseas than here. Tv's were made here, now I don't think there is any made in this country anymore. We are becoming a society of consumers , and we can not grow and thrive unless we go back to being a country of producers. We need our jobs and businesses to come back to America, we need to make this country one that is profitable for them to do business in. We need people to wake up and realize one simple truth, business's do not pay taxes, only individuals pay taxes, business's collect them. End taxes on business's and they will return and people will have jobs and we will grow, or we can keep on this track and continue to watch our jobs ship overseas and this country slowly go from a leader to just another poor nation.
But just in case people are determined to drink koolaid, i suggest you plant a garden and get a gun, its going to be a long cold winter.
How many GM and Chrysler plants in other countries are closing and how many in America are closing. Personally I feel like we bailed them out if any plants are to close it should be those located outside of the USA. The USA can not survive not producing anything, look at your clothes, 40 yrs ago most clothing was produced in the USA now its made in tiwann , china, ect, jobs lost by Americans, American cars were made in America, now more are made in mexico and canada and overseas than here. Tv's were made here, now I don't think there is any made in this country anymore. We are becoming a society of consumers , and we can not grow and thrive unless we go back to being a country of producers. We need our jobs and businesses to come back to America, we need to make this country one that is profitable for them to do business in. We need people to wake up and realize one simple truth, business's do not pay taxes, only individuals pay taxes, business's collect them. End taxes on business's and they will return and people will have jobs and we will grow, or we can keep on this track and continue to watch our jobs ship overseas and this country slowly go from a leader to just another poor nation.
But just in case people are determined to drink koolaid, i suggest you plant a garden and get a gun, its going to be a long cold winter.
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