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'!

March Happenings

There are lots of good events coming up for the remainder of this month!

March 15-20 & March 22-27: Restaurant Week Boston
What's better than supporting your local restaurant, while at good prices?! Participating resturants will offer 2-course lunches $15.09, 3-course lunches for $20.09, and 3-course dinners for $33.09. When diners use their American Express Card at participating restaurants, $.25 per transaction will also be donated to Community Servings! Read more about restaurant week and find out which restaurants are involved here.

Wednesday, March 18, 6 pm: Designing the Urban Ark: Biodiversity and the Future of Cities.
Can future cities support both biodiversity and healthy human populations? And how will climate change alter the context for humans’ relationships with other species?
Dr. Kristina Hill will outline a vision for biodiversity and urban planning based on human self-interest, development conditions, climate change , and lessons learned in other regions of the U.S. Located at Harvard's Geological Lecture Hall at 24 Oxford Street. Free and open to the public! Get more info here.

Monday, March 23, 7:30 pm- SFBU Meeting and Potluck!
Bring a dish to share if you can, and don't forget to bring your own plates and silverware, so we can cut down on waste! Location: Fuller Building (808 Commonwealth Ave.), rm. 117. Entrance is on Essex St.

Thursday, March 26, 7-9 pm: Food Locavorism event at MIT (Location: Building W20-Rm 306)
"Eat locally" has become the new moral mantra for citizen gastronomes concerned about global warming, corporate agriculture, and the dissolution of community...But how much do food miles matter?...Is buying "local" necessarily ethical, or is it more complicated than that?..."
Speakers will include David Pimentel of Cornell University, Susanne Freidberg from Dartmouth College, Steve Johnson of Rendezvous Restaurant, and moderator Steven Shapin from Harvard! Free and open to the public. Get some more details.

Friday, March 27, 6 pm: Henry Ford, Colonial Kitchens, and the Performance of National Identity

Lecture by Abigail Carroll. However, RSVP is required: call (617) 353-9852. Located at BU's Gastronomy building, 808 Commonwealth Ave., rm. 117. Also free and open to the public! Read more information here.

Photo:
© http://www.foodfreak.de/