Image via WikipediaThis weekend my mother in law got us tickets for a tour of the White House. The part of the tour I was looking forward to most of all was a look at the Victory Garden. Unfortunately, the garden is not get considered important enough to be included on the tour.
According to livinghistoryfarm.org during WWII more than twenty million Americans started growing their own food in response to President Roosevelts call for self reliance in the face of rationing. Vacant lots and roof tops became productive spaces, all under the banner of patriotic duty, a far cry from the many city ordinances banning agriculture and husbandry in urban and suburban areas today. An example of the effort of urban areas to zone out farming is when the town of West Hempstead Long Island making my father give up his chicken and ducks that produced close to a dozen organic and healthy eggs as well as consuming many pounds of compostable food waste. The significance of the victory gardens is the birth of an urban agriculture movement, as well as attention from the main stream media and the sheen of patriotism. Today, urban homesteaders are often viewed as suspicious and counter culture, however, grassroots activists and policy institutes like the Rodal Institute are working to grow acceptance for urban homesteading.
The White House garden was planted in March of 2009 and expanded in April of this year. The garden includes more than 50 types of vegetables requested by the kitchen staff. There is also an apiary which is important in the face of the alarming loss of honey bee hives all around the country which means a serious reduction in pollenating species. While the White House garden is not referred to as a victory garden, its creation in the middle of two wars and a growing awareness of the importance of "food security" points to the fact that once again, peas are patriotic!
. Enjoy!
