Organic Gardens Thrive in DC: USDA People's Garden

The White House Kitchen Garden has started a fresh veggie trend in Washington, DC.  The US Department of Agriculture announced expanded plans for the People's Garden surrounding their headquarters on the Mall last month to celebrate Earth Day.

The current landscape around the Whitten Building includes grass lawns, flower borders, and concrete.  The new plans for the sprawling 6-acre space include a 1,300 square foot vegetable garden - slightly bigger than the White House Garden, flower gardens, and bioswales that help reduce pollution.

The organic garden will feature 3 different types of planting - in-ground, raised beds, and containers - to demonstrate the versatility of organic farming.  The garden is designed to be an educational tool for both farmers and the general public, but will also supply fresh, organic vegetables to local food banks.  

The People's Garden will produce a variety of seasonal foods.  Squash and tomatoes are part of the summer harvest line-up, while kale, spinach, and lettuce are a few plants planned for cooler months.  The garden will also include a traditional American Indian planting called a 'three sisters garden', featuring pole beans, corn, and squash in a sustainable arrangement.  

Organic farming is the first step to a healthier nation and a sustainable planet.  The USDA People's Garden shows us just how easy it is to grow our own fresh fruits and vegetables at home - if you're not sure what's in your soil (chemicals, contaminants, etc.), consider a raised planting area; when space is a concern, plant a container garden.  

The garden's visionary, secretary Tom Vilsack, said to the Washington Post, "... nothing tastes better than a tomato you grow."  A small, organic container garden is a great place to start wherever you are!

Source:The Philadelphia Inquirer

Images: NatalieMaynor, Abri_Beluga

The Great Morel Hunt

In Michael Pollan's manifesto for local food, The Omnivore's Dilemma, one of the most memorable scenes was a misty morning search for wild morel mushrooms. If you're eager to try your own hand at mushroom hunting, you should know that the Morel season will start soon in most parts of the United States.

The Great Morel is a startlingly complete resource for would-be fungus hunters, featuring plenty of information ranging from a live map of morel sightings to a "stories and tales" page for the armchair hunter. Of course, there's a FAQ if you just want to get a quick overview of the topic.

If the idea of hunting your own doesn't appeal to you, you can order spores to grow your own, check out your local market for seasonal morels, or consider some wildcrafted organic dried morels.

Got your morels but don't know what to do with them? They're a traditional ingredient in French cooking, but that's certainly not your only option. Check out Epicurious.com for plenty of luxurious recipes.