Re: story idea for garden writers in need

**R* M* M* <r*@comcast.net>**

Interesting question. I read Walter Scheib's book "White House Chef"  
Two Presidents, One Kitchen. He had a nice section about being  
interviewed by Hillary Clinton and one thing she wanted him to  
install was a rooftop garden at the White House to grow fresh herbs  
and some of the vegetables they used. The question was if he could  
and would take it on....he was enthusiastic. Who knows what is  
happening now.
Rose Marie Nichols McGee
Nichols Garden Nursery
www.nicholsgardennursery.com
On Feb 4, 2008, at 11:11 AM, Roger Doiron wrote:

> 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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