The 1,100-square-foot organic garden will provide 55 varieties of fruits and vegetables for the Obama family and guests. Some of the produce will include: arugula, red romaine lettuce, green oak leaf, butterhead, red leaf, galactic lettuce, spinach, chard, collards, black kale, fennel, broccoli, peas, peppers, tomatillos, carrots, onions, rhubarb, herbs and berries.
Charlie Brandts, a White House carpenter (who is also a beekeeper), will maintain two hives for honey.
The garden plots will be located in raised beds fertilized with White House compost, crab meal from the Chesapeake Bay, lime and green sand. Students from Bancroft Elementary School in Washington, D.C. will help dig, plant and harvest the garden. They will also have the opportunity to do some cooking in the White House kitchen. Besides providing food for the White House, the garden will serve to educate children about the importance of healthy, locally grown fruits and vegetables. Mrs. Obama stated that the entire Obama family, including the President, will help out pulling weeds.
