Yes we can
The New York Times reports that the Obamas are going to be enjoying some home-grown veg on the White House dinner table soon. Read about it here.
When Lord Woolton launched the Dig for Victory! campaign during the Second World War, it was to encourage the British public to grow their own vegetables, obviously driven by the need to supplement rations.
The country couldn’t rely on food imports any longer and there was no choice but to become more self-sufficient. Football pitches, lawns and parks were all turned into allotments, and by 1945, an estimated 1.4 million people had allotments.
Across the pond – at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington – Eleanor Roosevelt planted a Victory Garden on the grounds of the White House, and where the first lady led, 20 million people followed.
Yesterday, Michelle Obama started work on a vegetable garden at her new address. The move to grow food for the White House kitchen seems to signal the revival of a mainstream effort in growing your own food. Whilst there has always been a core group of people who care about where their food comes from and who grow their own because they enjoy the taste of fruits and vegetables in season, the increasing interest seems to have grown out of the recent surge in awareness of all things environmental and green.
Let’s hope this is the start of another grow-your-own revolution!
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Tags: food, grow your own, obama
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