What is more beautiful than a bountiful vegetable garden? Why should the President of the United States be denied such a view? Why should he be denied a meal fresh fresh fresh out of the garden. Why shouldn’t he encourage all of us to grow healthful organic gardens instead of arguing with our neighbors over the state of our lawn? Why shouldn’t he donate some of the harvest to a DC food pantry?

Roger Doiron founded Kitchen Gardeners International to encourage all of us who grow some of our food. His latest project is Eat The View to get enough people to sign a petition so that the new president, whoever he might be, will turn a portion of the White House Lawn into a productive garden.

It’s not as if the White House Lawn has always been an impeccable greensward. Noted gardener and writer Barbara Damrosch has written a brief history of the Lawn which appeared in the Washington Post in February. She reminded us that Washington and Jefferson were devoted farmers. John Adams planted the first White House Garden to lower expenses, Woodrow Wilson’s second wife Edith raised sheep as part of the WWI effort and Eleanor Roosevelt was a Victory Gardener.

Both McCain and Obama say they are in favor of change. Let’s change the White House Lawn to the White House Garden. Don’t forget to sign the petition.