No, not more federal spending.

I’m glad the First Family has balanced the construction of a new basketball court one the White House grounds with something useful.  The First Lady has been the steward[ess] of the newly created kitchen garden on the White House’s South Lawn.  Thus far, it has served as a useful educational resource for healthy eating habits for school aged children.  But moreover, I hope it serves as a model for individuals and communities to consider growing food (that locals consume) closer to home.

It’s a bold idea but I think it’s worth the effort.  Local food systems are gaining much more attention in my profession, and the investment and commitment of the President and his family is likely to have a significant impact on the proliferation of these kinds of gardens at varying scales.

I wish I had the room for something comparable to the First Garden, but any novel about my horticultural skills would have to be called The Absent Gardener.