Checking the USDA Website by Shelley Lance
At a lunch meeting with farmer/owner Luke Woodward of Oxbow Farm, he and I both started talking excitedly about the new administration’s plans for USDA community gardens. (“They’re actually breaking up pavement! Wow, that’s so cool”) The reason I was aware of this garden project is that I’ve started keeping an eye on the USDA website, something I’ve never bothered to do before, but I’m intensely interested in where the Obama administration will be leading the country on food and farming issues. If you haven’t heard about Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s goal of establishing community gardens at each USDA facility worldwide, here’s an article for you to read. The People’s Garden (view a concept plan of the garden), which was created to commemorate the 200th Birthday of Abraham Lincoln, will “showcase conservation practices that all Americans can implement in their own backyards and green spaces” while expressing Obama’s commitment to “responsible stewardship of our land, water, and other natural resources.” Yes, it’s symbolism, but I think it’s great symbolism.
Another amazing development, in my eyes, is Obama’s plan to stop paying our tax money as un-needed subsidies to giant agribusinesses in his newly proposed budget. The positive effect this could have on our farm economy is mind-boggling. Take a look at the USDA website now and then. You might be surprised at what you find.
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March 5th, 2009 at 10:22 am
As a 13 year alum of Seattle’s Community Gardening program (p-patch), I was hoping this was about that type of gardens. This looks to be a demonstration garden for good gardening practices for ornamental and grass growing?
Did I miss something about community gardens? Would love a link.