Food in the News: 'Victory' in the White House and on College Campuses

In a recent NYTimes article it was declared official that the Obamas will be breaking ground on the White House lawn, and planting a 1,100 sq. foot victory garden. This is, no doubt, in response to the Eat the View campaign and others like it that have working tirelessly to reinstate the practice of keeping a victory garden. The tradition of keeping a garden at the White House is not a new one, and in fact has a long history stretching back as far as founding fathers John Adams and, of course, Thomas Jefferson, notorious kitchen gardener and viticulturist in his own right.N ever before, however, has the planting of a vegetable patch at the White House been more symbolic. With environmental, economic, and health crisis looming, the First Garden is demonstrative of what each American could do locally her or himself to contribute and be part of the solution to these nation-wide crisis.

In a similarly related article on Campus Progress.org, which features our very own Annabelle Ho, Brittany Peats discusses what students are doing to become part of the solution, including running on-campus, student-led farm and garden initiatives as well as working with dining services to change the food consumption habits of their universities.

If there's anything to be learned from reading the news of this week, it's that if foodie activists continue to have it their way 'V' will soon stand not only for 'Victory,' but for 'Victory Garden'!