BSustained

Birgit was first – but Michelle is catching up.

Michelle Obama, First Lady of the USA, is planning an organic garden on a patch of the south lawn of the White House, to grow food for the presidential kitchen. Local primary school pupils will help her with the planting and harvesting. Michelle apparently sees promoting healthy eating for American families as part of her role. We are told President Barack Obama will help with weeding – I suspect that will not be too often, but who knows? Maybe pottering in the garden will become the number one relaxation activity for American presidents.

I wonder if the Obamas are the first presidential family to enlist schoolchildren to help. (No information yet on whether they will be invited to dinner.) It is this triple emphasis on vegetables, haute cuisine and encouraging children to grow their own health which suggests they have been closely following the fortunes of BSustained. However, on this occasion, Birgit has decided not to sue for theft of intellectual property, as she is so delighted that they have taken her lead – and besides, she is eagerly awaiting an invitation to appear in the White House kitchen as a guest chef.

According to the Guardian report (which also has a great photo of Michelle in action with a rake), Thomas Jefferson was a highly respected vegetable gardener.

BBC report

Chris Duggan