Michelle Obama’s Breaking-Ground News!

We are thrilled to announce that The White House Farmer site and many other grassroots efforts across the country have together resulted in Michelle Obama and a group of school children breaking ground for a vegetable garden on the South Lawn on the Vernal Equinox, March 20!

We congratulate everyone who worked toward this goal.  Together we have raised awareness of the value of  people growing healthy local foods accessible to all.

We see this as a beautiful arc — from the grass-roots all the way to the South Lawn of the White House.  And now, after having moved “bottom-up,” the ideas are beginning to filter back down to farms, yards, and empty lots across our nation.  Anyone with a little time and space can grow their own food, or buy from a local farmer who does.  Yes, we can, and yes we did!

History and Background

This site was launched in November 2008 as a forum to follow up on Michael Pollan’s call for a White House Farmer. Pollan suggested the farmer be charged with transforming “five prime south-facing acres of the White House lawn and plant[ing] in their place an organic fruit and vegetable garden” whose produce will be used by the White House Chef, and given to area food banks.

Nominations were open for much of November, December and January, and Polling was open from Jan. 21-31, 2009.

Click here for the results of the polling.

Click here for a statement from the top three vote-getters.

Click here for our next steps.

The FIne Print:  All information posted to the site will be used only for purposes of getting a White House Farmer.  No information will be sold or shared or used in any other way.

WhiteHouseFarmer.com was conceived by the Brockmans, a farm family in central Illinois.  The idea came on an endless blue sky day, after reading the Pollan article in the New York Times magazine. Contact Terra at 847-338-1861 for more information.