Terrific idea!

This is a great idea. I hope the Obamas lead the way on this important shift toward localizing our food sources.

A large organic vegetable garden is one of the simplest, most inspiring ideas that our President could present the Nation with. What an example it would be for the whole world: eat locally and healthy.
And those two wonderful little girls can also inspire children by helping in the garden then bringing food to soup kitchen. Hopefully, under an Obama admisnistration these sad but necessary soup kitchens will soon disappear as more and more people will regain dignity through working and living decently.
I vote for a large organic garden on the White House lawn!
Regine from Maine, where organic gardening is a way of life, the way life should be.

I'm not an American, but I would love to see Mr. Obama lead by example on this one

 Eleanor Roosevelt lent credibility to the Victory Gardens created during a similar war time economic downturn....The Obama's can lead the nation again by adopting this terrific idea.  

As an urban homesteader in the middle of the city of Charlotte, NC, I am very interested in promoting the ideas of edible landscaping and permaculture. What a wonderful opportunity to model for the world how much of our food could be produced if we give up some or all of our wasteful lawns. We can address global warming, environmental degradation, economic crises, and more by converting our small or large parcels of land to food production. The old adage of "think globally, act locally" can really be applied here.

Victory gardens for self-reliance!
Community gardens for community building!
Can't have healthy communities w/o healthy people.
Can't have healthy people w/o healthy food!
Best way to healthy food is locally grown from naturally developed soil!

Godsil
Growing Power Board MemberMilwaukee, WI

This is great! I hope Obama picks up on it. He does support local, family farms and planting (and re-starting the ternd of) a victory garden would restore my hopes for sustainable agriculture. It makes me think that Michael Pollan's tongue-in-cheek section on the organic garden on the White House lawn from his recent article in the New York Times Magizine is being taken seriously! I have a blog where I commented on this and other local food issues check out www.sustainablefarmer.com/mitra

Yeah! Being a liberal is the best!

Leading by example is the best way to lead.

love it love love it

We need to make changes in order to become more self sufficient and rely less on other countries. We need to conserve energy here, and what better way to do it then by reviving the Victory Garden.
As a nation, we need to pull together to make this happen - even community gardening will help.

A fabulous idea, I live in rural Somerset UK and we grow a lot of our vegetables and fruit as do our neighbours and we all swap goodies.  Surely there are a lot of poor folk in Washington DC too who could benefit from the produce grown.  I notice someone said about soup kitchens, but do they reach all the hungry????????

A White House Victory garden would be such a great example to our nation.  We should have one!

It is time for all Americans to dig in and use the resources close at hand to promote a grounded sustainable life.  I encourage the President to make a symbolic and real statement that a return to our roots is the way to envisions a life a country and a world that supports its self and produces surplus for our neighbors.

I love this idea.  Not only will it make a statement, but it will also be a great, fun experience for the girls AND the family will be eating healthier!  This one is a winner all the way around!

That would be a good sign for the future. I would love to help create a vegetable garden to feed the poor. I have helped create community gardens in San Francisco Ca. www.quesadagardens.org

the Victory is in living sustainably...

As long as we can channel the White House produce and livestock towards District of Columbia pantries and have the Obama family aid in food redistribution and cooperative efforts (call me crazy) within the disrict, all this pragmatic idealism might not be in vain...Who would've thought beyond solar panels on the White House?

Now is the time for our leaders to demonstrate "best practices" to their populace. All eyes are on you, President Obama. Solar panels on the White House and organic gardens replacing part of its lawn are just two ways to model the New Green Deal.

Hunger in our nation's capitol is wide-spread and pervasive. As a "symbolic gesture" could a White House Victory Garden work to change this reality or would it only work to widen the gap between privileged and poor in D.C.? Planting victory gardens throughout DC neighborhoods, making fresh food available in inner city areas that don't have access to markets, introducing farm-to-school programs in DC public schools - that would be change.

Yes! Organic veggies on the white house lawn. Seems like a fine idea to me. Let's do it.

Si se puede! This national example of local food would be a benefit to all of us.

Roger,
I think your idea is excellent!
The other things I would add that would make this a very wholistic approach is to try to get the White House and Grounds moving in the direction of self sustaining power by:
Having Windmill Farm, Solar Panels for producing and maintaining hot water needs; Photovoltaic Roofing materials where ever possible to produce power
A year round Green House that is warmed by the Sun so that foods can be prepared year round. This is something we all need to do, but what a great example for all of us if the materials were donated to the white house and there was a web site that kept us all informed of the progress.
Jeff York

Yes!! Please do! It's good for the family, and a great example to our nation - we can be self-reliant to a degree and feed our families the healthiest food around, right from our own backyards - and so can you Obama!!

Amen!  Michael Pallen, author of Omnivore's Dilemna, suggested this last night on Bill Moyer's Journal and I totally agree.  This is not just a token action to make us feel good.  It represents for us all one of the best ways to deal with some of our most pressing issues today such as the energy crisis and global warming, nutrition and health, agriculture and "feeding the world" to name a few.  Further wonderfully articulate support for this idea can be found in "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver.

Let's make it so!

wait 100 people actually voted for this???? some of you actually think this is of extreme importance?? Look, I'm all for natural cures and orgic food but the more mainstream it becomes, the more the industry will be tampered with..

Yes, this IS of extreme importance. Food security, healthy choices, frugality, self-sufficiency and charity? All of these issues and more are touched by growing your own food. This would be a wonderful thing.

I'd also like to see the head White House edible garden maintain a blog so we can all keep on Our Veggie Patch.

What a wonderful way to show the people of the USA that the President's family supports self-sufficency & eating healthier with Organic homegrown veges & fruits!

Fantastic idea!!!! :-)

With all due respect Roger, this is a very small way of thinking. Why not urge the Obama administration to move toward a plant based agriculture for global warming and for health.
  "Researchers at the National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science in Japan have carried out a life-cycle analysis of beef production which shows that 'a kilogram of beef leads to the emission of greenhouse gases with a warming potential equivalent of 36.4 kilograms of CO2' (New Scientist, 21.7.07). To help you get your head around this, that's equivalent to the amount of CO2 emitted by the average car over a distance of 250 kilometres."   "Researchers at the University of Chicago have calculated the relative carbon intensity of a standard vegan diet in comparison to a US-style carnivorous diet, all the way through from production to processing to distribution to cooking and consumption. An average burger man (that is, not the outsize variety) emits the equivalent of 1.5 tonnes more CO2 every year than the standard vegan. By comparison, were you to trade in your conventional gas-guzzler for a state of the art Prius hybrid, your CO2 savings would amount to little more than one tonne per year."   Check out these vids:   You can't be a meat eating environmentalist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWWNLvgU4MI
 
World Food Crisis: Is Meat Consumption a Major Cause
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcGFjo62LdI
 
World Food Crisis: Another Major Cause
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJCK7AKjaoM   whats the best action to take on Earth Day?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-T0RDZMJgM   Some facts
 
* To produce 1 lb of meat, an average of 40 lbs of vegetation is used.
* 12 lbs of wheat produce 12 loaves of bread and only 1hamburger.
* It takes 3.25 acres of land to produce food for a meat eater on a continuing basis, while it takes 1/3 of an acre for someone eating a diet of plants and dairy and 1/6 of an acre for a person eating totally plant based diet (vegan).
  * A University of California Study shows that to produce 1 lb of meat it takes an average of 2,500 gallons of water, it takes 966 gallons of water to produce one gallon of cow's milk and on the other hand plant foods such as wheat, corn, apples etc. take 20 to 50 gallons of water to produce one pound of food.
  * Eating food crops first hand produces a tremendous energy savings. To produce one pound of protein derived from beef requires 20 times as much fossil fuel energy as the same one pound of protein derived from corn or wheat. Protein from beef requires 40 times more fossil fuel energy than the same amount of protein derived from soybeans.
  * The waste released in the atmosphere by the U.S. Meat and Dairy Industry is 230,000 pounds per second, thus polluting earth, air and water systems.

* It is estimated that it takes 75,000 trees to print a Sunday edition of The New York Times for the readers.   These staggering numbers are a wake up-call for us to make a difference now.   Dr Rajendra Kumar Pachauri, an economist and environmental scientist who has served as the chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) since 2002 recently said    “ Worldwide, livestock-farming is responsible for no less then 18% of total
greenhouse gas emissions (Source: FAO, Livestock's long shadow, 2007).
Greenhouse gas emissions through meat production and associated land-use changes are one of the most important causes of climate change/warming. Yet people, especially in high-income societies, continue to eat large amounts of meat. This high meat intake not only has negative effects on the climate and biodiversity; it is also harmful for our health because it increases the risk of cardio-vascular disease, obesity, diabetes and other diseases of affluence. Hence, it is very important to limit our meat consumption. Eating less meat means less greenhouse gases will be emitted.


Because our food, and especially meat consumption is such a significant
cause of greenhouse gas emissions, an essential means we have in the fight against climate change may very well be our fork. Each time you eat a
vegetarian meal instead of a meat-based meal, you contribute to mitigation
of emissions of greenhouse gases which cause climate change. Even if you
only skip meat once a week, you would still save 170 kilograms of CO2
every year. That is about the amount you emit by driving your car 1100 km.
So skipping meat now and then is a good recipe against climate change.

But of course one person can only do so much. It is also the responsibility
of governments and industries to ensure that sustainable alternatives like
vegetarian food are widely available and affordable. Several alternative
policies and options could lead to lower consumption of meat and
climate-friendly lifestyles, which a society may decide on with its own
wisdom. EVA has provided a menu of actions that could be adopted as provided below, and it is for communities and governments to decide how to consider them."
  Human Benefits
  * Twenty vegetarians can be fed on the amount of land needed to feed one person consuming a meat-based diet.
  * If America reduced their intake of meat by 10 percent, 60 million people can be adequately fed by grain saved.
  * A cow has to eat 7 lbs of grain and soy bean protein to produce 1 lb of meat protein. If the same land were to produce food for humans directly, 7 times more people could eat.
  * More than half of all the water used in the United States is used in live stock production that can be used where there is water shortage.
  When we become aware of these facts and change our lifestyle and go vegan we can increase the amount of grain available to feed people elsewhere, reduce pollution, save water and energy, cease contributing to the clearing of forests and the most important we can save billions of sentient beings from torture and pain.  

If one gives up all animal products eg dairy products, and adopts a plant based diet, then one is Vegan -- (excluding flesh, fish, fowl, dairy products such as animal milk, butter, cheese, yogurt (curd), eggs, honey, animal gelatin and all other items of animal origin.) Going vegan is much easier than you think.

Dear President-Elect Obama,

Here are the steps to take:

1 Watch the Michael Pollan interview on Bill Moyers' Journal, and read his letter to you:  http://www.alternet.org/story/102678/dear_mr._next_president_--_food%2C_food%2C_food/

Read anything he's written.  Seriously.

2. Review the tremendous success that Cuba has had in localizing, and making organic and sustainable, their food supply.  You can find out about some of it here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=3923194#3936216

3. Watch "The World According to Monsanto"

4. See what dedicated people here in the U.S. have done, even *without* suport: "MyFarm" is an example: http://www.myfarmsf.com/about.html

5. Commit to keeping America's food supply safe, healthy, nutritious, and local.  Have the Secretary of Agriculture allot monies to states for programs like "MyFarm" which will: supply locally-grown healthy organic food to *people* (with the first priority being inner cities where the people don't have access to healthy food): provide employment: build community: protect our food supply by de-centralizing it; get ahandle on our out-of-contro health care costs by changing the American diet..

6. Eat locally!  Eat Healthy! The White House can hire a chef who understand the benefits of fresh organic food, and White House gardeners can replant some of the South Lawn as a vegetable garden. 

With respect,

Kathe Walters Scott
Palmdale, CA

Now more than ever, we need to empower our own people to feed ourselves, healthy, organic, home-grown food for our families, and our communities. 

Victory Gardens go far back in history, and Obama's support in setting this example would have a huge impact on all of us.

I can't remember a time in history where a President really asked us what we thought about the state of the union.  Amazing times we are living in.  Every civilization has gone through a collapse and rebuild, to watch it happen is heartbreaking and amazing all at the same time. 

Our food system is no different.  Time for change!

Put forward the idea that we all have to pitch in.  Those of us with backyards that aren't doing anything should grow some of their own crops, encourage neighbors to do like wise.    Shop locally, and buy organic, fertile foods and save the seeds.  It's time the planet looked more green than bare and brown.

This should have been started on 9/12/01.  The populace needs something like this to put the uncertainty and fear to good practical use.  Instead of indulging in things we cant afford, lets see every person who can lift a trowel take back a little bit of their own destiny.  True food security comes from a decentralized, diversified system.  Lead the way Mr. President.

 I like the idea but I think our situation requires more than a model, we need serious policy changes now. I tried to submit this idea but the site would not accept it:  Cities are not sustainable as they are as they must import everything.  Our food travels about 1400 miles or more to get to our tables and the system is totally dependant fossil fuels.  So, build 'green settlements', expanding at the periphery of existing cities with populations of 2-800 moved out of the cities, that recycle the nutrients normally wasted and can grow healthy organic food that does not require large fuel inputs thus making it possible to produce enough of our own liquid and gas fuels locally at village scale.  Areas of cites demolished move back into food production or parks. We have the technology already to do this, it just needs support and funding.

I love this idea but hope that when/if it happens we Americans won't just use it a a symbol but as an inspiration.  And to be successful, an organic garden behind the White House will have to include at least a few chickens to provide organic fertilizer for composting.

This idea won't work if they don't complete the full cycle of returning the fertility to the soil.  Another thing that will have to be worked around is that the White House lawns have been kept like putting greens for decades, since the sheep left!  This means that tons of NPK fertilizer has been dumped on that ground along with pesticides and herbicides.  It will need a lot of decontamination before it can begin to function again as a complete soil system

In a way this is a good thing, it will mean that valuable lessons will be learned about how to reclaim soil that is seriously depleted of fertility due to the use of petroleum-based NPK fertilizers. 

We have a huge job in this country, if we are to get our farmland back and stop turning it into toxic dumps.

This idea is way too weak considering our situation.  We need policy changes now, not PR stunts.  I'm sorry to be so blunt but  1/3 the energy being used goes into food production and distribution because we have such a centralized system. We need to grow as much of our food locally as possible.  We need a massive investment in our soil, localizing food and fuel production as well as ruralizing cities, breaking up the unsustainable concentrations of waste and consumption. This is a big development project so there will be much meaningful work designing, building and growing food, decentrailizing for efficiency. This is a solution to the issues we are seeing with the environment, our health, energy and the economy.  I beg of you to be creative and insist on a beautiful green vision.

Get real folks.
None of the Obama family is going to get their hands dirty.
They'd have proffessional gardeners who would spray Malathion on everything, after they put on the Miricle Grow!
I have a Certified Natural Farm & I'm a 30 yr rabid Organic Gardener.  (rabid is beyone avid.)  But, those folks aren't going to.  Now, a community garden might be a go w/ them, but I don't think the Secret Service would think much of it.

I THINK this is a good idea; but even better would be to plant a community garden on the MALL across from the White House and/or on the Capital Grounds. Then the best organic gardeners in the region could be invited to show off their processes and gardening skills in an ongoing public display that people could actually walk through. the problem with doing it at the White House is that we can not get access to it, nor can the gardeners. 
After the garden is going well then a challenge could be issued to local communities around the country to set up their own Community Gardens as displays for their community in gardening practices. 
Rob Wheeler

...Really?...no...wait...really?  This is the top priority?  Take a quick look at the farm bill and then tell me this is the number one issue.  It is a novel idea, but there isn't the slightest chance of it ever happening.  Washington DC was designed to intimidate visitors.  And I realize that I'm intimidated by a big tomato worm as much as the next guy, but do you think that is going to do the job on heads of state?  It's a great message but you are looking at the wrong stage.  For the record, how many of you have a victory garden? ...really?

I have a victory garden. Artichokes, broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots. Please see http://www.freedomgardens.org/ for more about this growing movement.

I have a victory garden as do many of my Milwaukee friends, inspired by "MacArthur Genius" Milwaukee's Will Allen of Growing Power.

Here's some pics of my novice efforts, in a 15 year program of study with Big Will and others.

http://www.milwaukeerenaissance.com/Godshillcityfarm/HomePage

adjustments to the farm bill are going to get played up in the media by industrial agriculture puppets, and people who are not familiar with the problems are not going to be able to see through the lies.

Obama has proven he can inspire, he can take the idea of local food and make it mainstream.  When people start  treating local food production as something serious and valuable, then there will be demand and small farms can compete.

People who are learning to grow their food will also realize the danger of companies like monsanto owning "everything"  and then no amount of misinformation can wash the truth away.

thinking supply side only is what got us into this mess.

And for the record, there is plenty of dirt under my nails.
(and I'm also on freedom gardens)

The concept of more small farms providing more local food is a good one,  but if National Animal ID (NAIS) isn't stopped, there won't be many small farms left. NAIS is designed to put a greater regulatory burden on small farms than on corporate ag.  If you want sustainable farming, you better vote to stop NAIS first. Even crop farms rely on manure for organic fertilizer, so they are also affected.
Having a victory garden at the White House is just window dressing - the kind of policy that legislators like because it accomplishes nothing, but looks good.

I think more has to be done than just "gren the White House".  As big as the White House is symbolically, it's just one building.  I think your idea (mostly) should be applied government buildings.  You are on the right track though.

Check out my idea on turning yellow cabs green.  Imagine if we could make every single cab more energy efficient? It would set the tone for the rest of the nation to follow.  I think this plan is right in line with T. Boone Picken's plan to do the same with 18-wheelers.  Check it out.

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/taxicabs_-_green_is_the_new_yellow

A vegetable garden at the White House would be a great signal that America is ready to adopt more sustainable methods of obtaining our nourishment.  I think serving more vegetarian meals at official state functions would also send strong signals that our government is seriously committed to slowing climate change, since animal agriculture contributes 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and committed to ending cruelty, since factory farmed animals are among the most abused animals on the planet.

Greening the White House is a great idea; but it ought to be just one part of greening our entire country. In fact, if Barack Obama would lead our country in developing and implementing a National Strategy for Sustainability - developed by all interested Americans - then he can use the Green Garden and other ecological elements of the White House to show off what could and can be accomplished as a part of the National Strategy Plan. 
Please go to:  http://www.change.org/ideas/view/develop_implement_a_national_strategy_for_sustainability  and vote for a National Strategy for Sustainability and then we can vote for both of these proposals in the second round. 
Rob Wheeler

I support this project to develop a green landscape for our nation's first house and for the first family to lead the way to a greener lifestyle.