By all accounts, the White House kitchen garden has become quite a sensation. During work on our upcoming Mrs. O book, we were amazed by how often the garden would come up in conversation. When we asked the legendary Diane von Furstenberg if she had a favorite Michelle Obama style moment, she responded, "When [Michelle Obama] planted a vegetable garden in the White House lawn."
Mrs. O has said the kitchen garden was high on her list of priorities as First Lady. Supporting the effort, alongside other influential voices, was The Who Farm Project. The project was a cross-country non-partisan campaign for a White House organic farm, led by Daniel Bowman Simon and Casey Gustowarow. The two young men had previously lived on the same island (Bohol) during their Peace Corps assignment in the Philippines. Now that the garden has come to fruition, the guys have even launched a Thank You Michelle Obama effort. We wanted to understand more about their project and mission, which we're delighted to share below:
What inspired TheWhoFarm Project? What was your mission?
There were many inspirations. One was a desire to highlight the wonderful opportunities to to improve on our flawed food and healthcare system, and the way we feed our nation's most precious natural resource, our children, and restore our very connection to the land. It's wonderful that I can quote what Michelle Obama said at the White House on Tuesday: "Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high-blood pressure are all diet-related health issues that cost this country more than $120 billion each year. That's a lot of money. While the dollar figure is shocking in and of itself, the effect on our children's health is even more profound."
American history is another significant inspiration. Eleanor Roosevelt was the last First Lady to have a vegetable garden planted at the White House. She inspired many millions of Americans to do the same. And one of our most revered Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson wrote “Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous, and they are tied to their country and wedded to it’s liberty and interests by the most lasting bands.”
Barack Obama and John McCain were inspirations as well. They both ran on campaigns of change. And all throughout his campaign, Obama's website banner read: "I'm asking you to believe. Not just in my ability to bring about real change in Washington...I'm asking you to believe in yours..." If that's not an uplifting marching order, I don't know what is!
The mission was plain and simple. "We the people respectfully request that an organic farm be planted on the grounds of The White House, at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC." We journeyed out across America on an upside-down school bus, talking common sense to farmers and to folks who shopped at farmers markets, to students and teachers, to young and old. Our bus was not just a means of transport, but a platform to invite discussion, and we brought a lot of good attention to the cause. Our recipe for success recommended that DC public school kids work in the garden, that seeds sourced from Thomas Jefferson's gardens at Monticello and that the harvest be shared with a local hunger relief organization. These are all elements incorporated in the White House Kitchen Garden!
How and when did organic gardening become important to you?
When I was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines, I bought most of my food from farmers I knew, and spent time with lots of people who grew food in their yards. They couldn't afford chemicals, so organic was the default growing method. The food ALWAYS tasted delicious, and it was such a wonderful feeling to feel a direct connection to the land that nourished me. My partner on TheWhoFarm tour, Casey Gustowarow, was also a Peace Corps volunteer and spent a lot of his time gardening. (Incidentally, the stylish White House Executive Chef Christeta Comerford is Filipino, and has recently spoke of childhood memories of her family's veggie garden.) When I returned to New York after Peace Corps, I discovered that community gardeners were some of my most favorite people. And that the thing that kept me most sane in the NYC Concrete Jungle was my regular trips to the farmers markets. The organic growers always seem to be the most eager to have a conversation about how they cultivate their land! And the other shoppers at the markets always have time to say hello and share a great recipe.
Why is an organic garden at the White House, in particular, so important and symbolic?
It's not only the location, it's also about Michelle. It is not just a garden, it is a platform, the ultimate soapbox. All Americans identify with The White House. And it just so happens that we lucked out that on January 20, the most popular woman in the World took up residency at the White House. As you know from running Mrs-O, it is mind-boggling just how popular the Obamas have become, and how much attention is paid to every last detail in their lives. (There is a similar blog about the Obamas and food, Obama Foodorama. To prove how popular the subject matter, google "Obama Blog" and that blog shows up higher ranked than the official whitehouse.gov blog!) Every newspaper and magazine article about gardening seems to start: "Michelle Obama is growing her own food, here are 5 steps to starting your own home veggie garden..." Twitter is off the hook with people tweeting about their Michelle-inspired gardens. The statesman (and Illinois farmer) Adlai Stevenson said of Eleanor Roosevelt, "she would rather light a candle than curse the darkness, and her glow has warmed the world." No doubt he'd say the same about Michelle Obama. This garden is where hope meets change.
Have you had a chance to see the garden first hand?
To borrow a thought from Jonas Salk, there are three stages of a worthwhile idea. Initially, everyone tells you that it is silly will never happen. Gradually, people begin to accept that it might be an alright idea that could happen, but not very important. And in the end, the common refrain is "yeah, that's awesome, and we always knew it."
When we were on the road, and people told me I was nuts or wasting my time, I could close my eyes and picture beautiful, abundant vegetables growing on the White House lawn. So, in that sense, yeah, I've seen the garden. But no, I haven't been in DC since the inauguration. The important thing for me is that this garden exists, and it is incredible beyond my wildest dreams. I am 1000X more excited that the First Lady invited DC public school kids to be an integral part of this garden than I would have been if she invited us... I'll tell you though, I'd really love a Bancroft Elementary School t-shirt. And of course if they need help weeding, I'd be more than happy to throw on my Sunday Best and hop the next Greyhound to DC.
What do you hope the country learns from the White House kitchen garden?
That common sense prevails. That anything is possible. That even the busiest people in the world can find time to be mindful about their food choices. That kids are incredible gardeners and teachers. That it's OK to get your nice clothes a little dirty. That you can share your bounty with needy folks. (The White House donates some of the harvest to nearby Miriam's Kitchen, where Mrs. Obama has also volunteered.) This garden has already proven that it can stimulate plenty of conversation and action. Who else can throw a party and simultaneously teach America about food deserts, a shocking and disturbing problem in many low-income minority neighborhoods right here in the USA? Here's a bit of what she said: "With few grocery stores in their neighborhoods, residents are forced to rely on convenience stores, fast food restaurants, liquor stores, drug stores and even gas stations for their groceries." And we all know what kind of food is sold at those establishments. Gardening equals more local self reliance and a reversal of the food desert trend, and that is one thing the First Lady is encouraging. Michelle Obama launched Summer of Service on Monday. Among the suggested forms of service are Community Gardens and Feeding America's Hungry. Nobody can call her a poser. She is truly leading by example, from a little kitchen garden that could!
Now that there's an official White House kitchen garden - what's next for your guys?
We've got a Thank You Mrs. Obama project on our website. We believe in the philosophy that "silent gratitude is of use to nobody." We feel that everyone who likes what Mrs. Obama is doing in the garden should let her know that her efforts are not going unnoticed. So we are collecting letters and other artwork to compile into a book and to present directly to Mrs. Obama. So we are asking everyone to download a little presentation on our journey and the history of the White House Kitchen Garden thus far, and to send in your contributions. (We figure readers of a fashion blog and their kids might have some pretty creative ways to express thanks.)
As for where we are physically, we are both getting our fingernails dirty. I am just beginning to learn how to cultivate the land on organic farm in Connecticut, and Casey Gustowarow, my partner on TheWhoFarm, is right back where he started, at an organic farm in Virginia. The land is where it's at!
Most stylish vegetable or herb?
I'm going to go with okra (known, by the way, as Lady's Fingers in other parts of the world.) I never ate okra growing up because my mother always talked about her repulsion of okra's sliminess. But the first time I saw okra growing in a garden, I knew I had to taste it. The pod looked so dignified, pointed straight up to the sun, with a drop-dead divine flower that is only in bloom for one day before turning into an okra pod -- light yellow petals with a resplendent reddish-purple center. I couldn't resist, and so, I picked a pod and discovered that even raw, it is loaded with flavor (and not at all slimy). Okra is also quite pretty on the inside. Stir-fried okra or okra cooked with tomatoes or citrus tends to prevent sliminess as well. I should mentioned that Thomas Jefferson was an okra lover who did what he could to popularize it in America. And I can't wait for the Sam Kass' first White House okra recipe. Party at my house! I'd also appreciate the opportunity to acknowledge publicly my lifelong love affair with brussels sprouts.
Monday, June 29, 2009 at 5:00 PM 
