'America's Heartland' to Feature Michelle Obama

"This garden is a way to elevate the conversation about our children's health," First Lady Michelle Obama said during the taping of a special segment for the KVIE Public Television series AMERICA'S HEARTLAND-seen nationally on public television stations and on the RFD-TV cable and satellite channel and in New York on WNJB and WNJN Saturdays at 9:30am

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AMERICA'S HEARTLAND reporter Jason Shoultz interviewed Mrs. Obama as they toured the White House kitchen garden. She shared with him the First Family's commitment to healthy eating, and the importance of fresh grown U.S. produce-a topic that is regularly explored in the AMERICA'S HEARTLAND.

During the tour, Mrs. Obama introduced Jason to the array of vegetables and other produce that she believes are key components of a healthy diet and an essential solution to the growing problem of childhood obesity in the U.S. "One in three children in this country is overweight or obese," said the First Lady. "This garden is a way to elevate the conversation and to engage children in the whole notion of eating well, growing your own food, and making friends with vegetables." Together, the White House staff and volunteers are raising a cornucopia of fresh products, including tomatoes, herbs, sweet potatoes, onions, lettuce, bell peppers, corn, and eggplant. It is essential to Mrs. Obama that the First Family regularly enjoy the garden's bounty saying, "Our motto is that you have to finish your vegetables." She adds, "If you're full, you [should still] finish your vegetables ... !" The kitchen garden bounty has plenty to share, and Mrs. Obama regularly donates vegetables to the community through local soup kitchens.

The kitchen garden effort mirrors the best qualities of America's farm and ranch families. "America's ability to feed itself and share this abundance with others is a proud tradition," said American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman. "The White House garden has helped create a renewed interest in American food, produced for Americans, by Americans. Our farmers and ranchers take deep pride in their success and see the garden as a shared symbol of the miracle of today's American agriculture."

In addition to discussing the garden and healthy eating with the First Lady, Jason met with many of the people who tend the garden, including White House staff volunteers as well as White House chefs and U.S. Park Service Gardeners.