Michelle Obama will most likely be talking local foods, again, when she attends the opening of the The White House Farmers Market. When I first heard there was going to be a White House Farmers Market, I assumed (like many people) that produce from the first lady’s kitchen garden might be sold there. I wondered if any of the vegetables that came from the heirloom seeds passed down from Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello garden would be sold and how I could get my hands on one. I wanted those seeds!

 

It’s clear now that the vegetables sold at this new market will not be from the garden at the White House. Obamafoodarama credits that to the “media mania over lead contamination in the garden.” The White House has released the results of tests that say the levels are far below what is considered harmless, but the media damage has been done.

 

In addition to Michelle Obama, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Washington DC Mayor Adrian Fenty will be on hand for the first day of the market that is part of the FreshFarm Markets in the Chesapeake Bay region.

 

The market is at 810 Vermont Avenue, NW (between H St, NW and I St, NW) and runs from 3pm to 7pm on Thursdays through October 29^th.

 

The FreshFarm Markets website has some information on what will be available at The White House Farm Market.