PHOTOS: Harvest Time for the White House Garden

[66 dmhlt]

It’s fall, and it’s happening all across our country at this time of year. And it was no different Thursday at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, DC when it was time to reap this year's fall harvest – and quite a bounty it was!



Michelle Obama, First Gardener in Chief, recruited a crew of 30 fifth-graders from the District’s Bancroft and Kimball elementary schools to get their hands dirty while helping out Miriam's Kitchen – the main beneficiary of this harvest which will use it to feed the homeless.



And when the work was done, the kids had filled bowls, baskets, boxes and wheelbarrows with huge sweet potatoes, carrots, fennel, lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, turnips, eggplant, peppers, tomatilloes and greens. The kids worked hard to reap a harvest of 223 pounds in just one afternoon!

"Now this is a sweet potato," she said, judging a specimen. "This could feed an army."

Michelle thanks an earthworm for helping out with this year's gardening.

You may recall that the garden was the brainchild of Michelle as a way to allow local school children enjoy a hands-on experience in gardening while learning healthy eating habits. Last March Michelle and the kids began preparing the 1,100-square-foot, L-shaped plot on the South Lawn of the White House.



This was the second major bounty, as the White House garden had produced 740+ pounds earlier this year from the spring planting, after which the fall crops were put in the ground. So that’s a grand total bounty of over 960 pounds of homegrown produce from the White House garden for 2009. And all for a total total outlay of $180 – a cost of less than 19 cents per pound of produce! (Take that, you Republican bean counters!)

It’s no wonder that Michelle Obama makes a nation proud to have her as our First Lady who’s more than willing to get down and dirty for a good cause. And always - always - has time for one more hug.

[ThatsMyBarack]

1. Can I help, too?

I'm not much of a gardener, but that produce looks AMAZING! :9

[66 dmhlt]

2. Ooops - I meant to add ...

I cross-posted this at DKos. Hope that doesn't break any rules.

[Barack_America]

3. We're digging ours up this weekend.

Though I suspect our sweet potatoes will pale in comparison.

[mikelgb]

4. Yum

[NV Whino]

5. This is great!

[grace0418]

6. I want to cut all that up into chunks, toss with olive oil, fresh thyme, garlic powder,

salt and pepper. Then roast it in the oven until nice and carmelized on the outside. The house is toasty and smells amazing, and you can feast on the most delicious veggies ever! It's my favorite thing about fall.

Way to go Michelle! :loveya:

[sonias]

7. Looks yummy!

Way to go our Michelle Obama our First Gardener in Chief and to all the students that helped bring in the harvest !

And great news for Miriam's Kitchen project too!

:woohoo: :fistbump:

Sonia

[LeftHander]

8. This Image will be huge. I really like this one...

[rbixby]

9. Could our president and first lady be any cooler?

I really don't think so!

[niyad]

10. whatever else is going on in the political arena, the first couple consistently bring the young

people in, giving them a sense that this really is THEIR house, the people's house. for this, I applaud them.