Michelle Obama Gardens with Children

As Michelle Obama surrounds herself with her daughters and school children to prepare a White House Kitchen Garden, other parents may see the advantages of a family garden.  You’ll raise food for better nourishment and hopefully to save on your budget.

This also can be a fun family time.  Gardening is part of my heritage, for every year we raised a garden when I was growing up on the farm.  It was a necessity to provide food for a family of six, a hired man and uncle who lived with us.  We joined in the gardening tasks as a matter of course.  There wasn’t a choice if we wanted fresh food for summer and canned food for winter.

Then during World War II, we called them Victory gardens, keeping in touch with the trend First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt encouraged.  I don’t recall the gardening as drudgery, for we worked at it as a family.

Gardening was a task we engaged in when our daughter was growing up.  My daughter and son-in-law have found gardening at our multigenerational home a family endeavor when health conditions keeps them from traveling elsewhere for recreation.

This year would be a good time to plant a family garden of vegetables, herbs, and flowers whether it’s a garden spot in the yard or boxes on the windowsill or porch.  Youngsters can learn about growing food and nutrition as they experience this  family activity as the Obama children are doing.

For more information about links to Michelle Obama’s Kitchen Garden and the excitement it has generated, visit White House Kitchen Garden News at my Gardens Green & Glorious blog.