First Garden

If you didn't already have a ton of reasons to love Michelle Obama, here is another one: She broke ground yesterday on a garden in the South Lawn of the White House in order to grow fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The produce will be used for meals at the White House as well as for a nearby soup kitchen.

This is the first garden at the White House in 60 years when Eleanor Roosevelt planted a "victory garden" in World War 2. The Obama garden will have spinach, kale, shell-peas, broccoli, radishes, herbs, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. She is also planning a beehive to make their own honey.

What I love about this story is not only was this an idea to get fresh produce to eat, but it was about involving the children in planting the garden. Mrs. Obama had 26 students from Bancroft Elementary School in Washington come to help break ground on the garden and they will come back in a few weeks to help with planting and then again with harvesting. That school already has their own community garden. More and more schools are planting gardens to teach kids about how to plant and harvest produce as well as the importance of including it in our diets.

At one point Mrs. Obama led them in cheers saying, "Let's hear it for fruits!" and "Let's hear it for vegetables!" I just love the fact that she is embracing the importance of fresh, home grown produce and involving her own and local children in the process.

Photo by Jason Reed/Reuters

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