Digging Obama's Garden?

The Obamas have decided to dig up a 1,100 square foot patch of the South Lawn at the White House to plant an organic vegetable garden. The garden will be the first at the White House since Elenor Roosevelt's victory garden in World War II.

While the garden will provide food for the first family's meals, they're collectively looking at the bigger picture. "My hope is that through children, they will begin to educate their families and that will, in turn, begin to educate our communities" Michelle Obama explained.

For starters, 23 fifth graders from the Bancroft Elementary School in Washington will help the first lady dig up the soil in a spot that will be visible to passers-by. They will also help harvest and cook the veggies, berries, and herbs from the garden. After all, the student have had a garden at the school since 2001.

The garden itself will include 55 varieties of vegetables grown from organic seedlings with a total cost $200. Cilantro, tomatillos, and hot peppers will be grown for their love of Mexican cuisine. Red romaine, green oak leaf, butterhead, and galactic are among the varieties of lettuces that will be present in the garden. There will also be spinich, chard, collards, black kale, multiple varieties of herbs, and a berry patch for desserts.

The organic garden has taken on political and environmental symbolism to those who believe that growing food locally and organically can lead to healthier eating habits and reduce reliance on industrial farms that use oil for transportation and chemicals for fertilizer.