The White House Garden

For the first time since WWII, a garden is being planted at the White House. Michelle Obama and 26 5th graders helped start the preparations for  an 1,100 sq. ft. organic garden. The White House chefs put their ideas in for what will be grown, as well as the Obama's daughters. They are growing lettuces, vegetables, berries and will even have a beehive for their own honey. To take the idea from the First Lady, growing our own vegetables is a great way to go green, include Feng Shui in your yard and save a ton of money for fresh, healthy food.

I've been planning a really small garden in my back yard all winter. And my grandson is suggesting vegetables he wants too. Carrots are his favorite. And tomatoes for Grandpa Bob. Since most of our back yard is deck and pool, there is a real space issue. But, we are getting a little creative with container gardening including upside down hanging tomatoes. There are lots of veggies that can be grown in pots and window boxes. Herbs for cooking and drying for later are great.

For the price of organic vegetables, you can grow a lot of them by seed. Get some planted indoors to get a head start. The kids will help. Just be prepared with an area that gets lots of sunlight and is able to be cleaned easily. Sprouting vegetables is exciting for everyone. Me too.

Good and Green:  Healthy eating doesn't have to cost a fortune. Growing your own is an outdoor activity that is healthy and is a great family activity. If you have younger children, it is a good way to start teaching them organic gardening and eating. Older ones are a great help and can also learn a delicious meal doesn't come from a drive-through. With all of the nutrition problems of our next generation, we need to turn these habits around. The best way to decide what to plant is to think about what you and your family will actually eat. There is no sense planting bok choy if you just know they won't eat it.  I do recommend a cookbook written by Jessica Seinfeld (Jerry's wife) that has good recipes for hiding vegetable purees in everyday food like chicken fingers, brownies and mac 'n cheese. It is called Deceptively Delicious.  I'm trying it on Grandpa Bob. 

Feng Shui in the garden: There is a very easy Feng Shui map for the outside of your home and an even easier test. The test is: If it grows well, it is in the right Feng Shui spot! The map is called the Bagua. It has Eight areas, with the ninth being your house. Thus, it is called Eight Mansions Feng Shui. Depending on the compass direction, it will tell you what element rules that area of your yard. It will give you a way of knowing where to use stone planters, water features, trees, etc. (Water, Earth, Fire, Wood and Metal are the 5 Elements). If you are interested in more information on your yard's Bagua Map, just let me know. 

Thanks to our First Lady for starting us all on a great summer activity! Now, if summer will just get here.