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[Livingontheland] Farmers Market Near White House Is Approved
- From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>
- To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
- Subject: [Livingontheland] Farmers Market Near White House Is Approved
- Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:42:27 -0600
September 10, 2009, 7:48 pm
Farmers Market Near White House Is Approved
By Rachel L. Swarns
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/farmers-market-near-white-house-is-approved/
With a little help from the White House, a nonprofit group won approval on
Thursday to set up an open-air farmers market near the Executive Mansion, a
city official said.
The nonprofit group, Fresh Farm Markets, already operates several farmers
markets in Washington and Maryland. Last week, the group applied for a city
permit to close Vermont Avenue Northwest between H and I Streets to traffic
for its newest market near the White House. The permit was approved today,
said John Lisle, a spokesman for the citys department of transportation.
The market will be open on Thursdays from Sept. 17 through Oct. 29.
White House officials have declined to comment about the extent of their
involvement.
Michelle Obama, White House GardenCharles Dharapak/Associated Press First
Lady Michelle Obama planted herbs in the White House Kitchen Garden with
students from Bancroft Elementary School in Washington in April.
But city officials say that Sam Kass, a White House assistant chef and a
former personal chef for the Obamas, showed up at a community meeting last
week to offer support for the venture.
Bernadine Prince, a co-director of Fresh Farm Markets, said she did not know
whether First Lady Michelle Obama would show up for the markets opening day
or whether any produce from the White House garden would be available for
sale. (Eighteen local farmer producers will sell fruits, vegetables,
pasture-raised meats and eggs, cheese and baked goods, she said.)
Ms. Prince said that Mr. Kass had been her primary contact at the White
House. But she said it was clear that the president and first lady back such
initiatives. They support the idea of farmers markets, Ms. Prince said.
Were excited that local foods and local farmers will be front and center
next Thursday.
In August, Mr. Obama said that hed like to find a way to get a farmers
market right near the grand residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
One of the things that were trying to do now is to figure out, can we get a
little farmers marketoutside of the White House, Mr. Obama said at a
health care forum. That is a win-win situation.
It gives D.C. more access to good, fresh food, but it also is this enormous
potential revenue-maker for local farmers in the area, he said. Those
kinds of connections can be made all throughout the country, and and has to
be part of how we think about health.
You can bet that people will be watching to see if the First Family and staff
will become First Customers.
- [Livingontheland] Farmers Market Near White House Is Approved, Tradingpost, 09/11/2009
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