Donning a flag lapel pin, attending the Veterans' Day parade and flying the Stars & Stripes are ways to display love of country. A growing group of experts say gardening should be added to the list.
"These days, digging some holes and planting a little lettuce or a few beets is a political act," wrote Los Angeles Times reporter Mary MacVean in the opening paragraph of her recent story on Victory Gardens, which also appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle.
For the article, MacVean spoke to Ventura County UC Cooperative Extension Director Rose Hayden-Smith and LA County UCCE Master Gardener Coordinator Yvonne Savio. She used background information from Hayden-Smith about the benefits of gardening, and used a quote from Savio.
"People want to have more connection with their own world," Savio was quoted. MacVean noted that Savio is the manager of the Los Angeles County UCCE Common Ground Garden Program, which aims to help poor people grow food.
The article mentioned efforts to convince President Obama to jump on the bandwagon by replacing some of the White House lawn with a food garden. The story links to "Eat the View", a Web site where an online petition is gathering support for an organic garden on "the First Lawn." It's worth clicking through to Eat the View just to see a great (Photoshoped) photo of the president balanced on a shovel in front of the White House.