story idea for garden writers in need

**"* D* <r*@kitchengardeners.org>**

Hi Folks,

I don't know who's looking for a timely and fun idea for an article, but
I've got one!

Which presidential candidate will secure the "garden vote"?  

Think about it: we pay attention to which candidate has the best chance of
courting women, evangelicals, Latinos,  African Americans, gun folks, so why
not talk about the "garden vote".  You know better than I do just how many
gardeners are out there.  It seems to me that I came across a figure of 10
million people who grow some of their own food.  That's a lot of votes!  As
one home gardener who's connected to several more, I can think of at least
two things a candidate could pledge to court my vote.  The first would be to
plant a kitchen garden on the White House grounds.  What better way to "be
the change" they'd like to see in the world than to make the White House a
healthy and environmentally-friendly model for what every American household
should be doing.  The White House had productive edible gardens for many
years, so we're not talking about doing something new and weird, just
something forward-looking and responsible.  Growing fruits and vegetables
for the family table used to be as American as mom and apple pie, and it
could be again with the right leadership and inspiration.  

The second way a candidate might secure the garden vote would be to call
upon another great American tradition: the tax break!  To help encourage
people to plant carrots, perhaps we need to offer them some.  Stick with me
here because this isn't as silly as it sounds.  We give tax breaks to people
to encourage them to put hybrid cars in their garages and solar panels on
their roofs, so why not a tax break to encourage environmentally-friendly
and healthy food production?  One model for this might be the home-office
tax deduction.  When I prepare my declaration each year as a self-employed
person working from a home-office, I am asked to measure the square feet of
my home office space as a percentage of my total habitable space.  I'd be
more than happy to do the same for my garden and yard.  If the IRS trusts me
to report the first accurately and honestly, why not the second?  Those who
don't have yards should, at a minimum, be able to deduct their annual fees
for renting a plot at their local community garden.     

I suspect that you have some ideas of your own to add to this.  Let me know
off-list if you want me to provide a quote. I can also put you in touch with
a garden historian who could provide more info on the history of the White
House gardens.

Thanks,

Roger

-----

Roger Doiron 

Founding Director, Kitchen Gardeners International

Fellow, Food and Society Policy Fellowship Program

3 Powderhorn Drive, Scarborough, ME 04074, (207) 883-5341

"Find the shortest, simplest way between the earth, the hands, and the
mouth."
-Lanza Del Vasto

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