Fallon Hired Hand for "Farmer-In-Chief"?

Not one to be shy about serving the public, Ed Fallon has "applied" for the job of White House farmer. In a press release from I'M Iowa sent out today for President-elect Barack Obama (see below), Ed Fallon asked to be considered for the job of “White House Farmer,” a term Fallon first came across in an article by Michael Pollan (“Farmer in Chief,” New York Times, October 12, 2008).

Pollan wrote: “This new post would be charged with implementing what could turn out to be your most symbolically resonant step in building a new American food culture. And that is this: tear out five prime south-facing acres of the White House lawn and plant in their place an organic fruit and vegetable garden.”

“America is hungry for a new direction in food production and consumption,” said Fallon. “World War II was a frightening time. The Victory Garden movement Eleanor Roosevelt helped kick-off on the lawn of the White House ignited a green revolution that led to 20 million gardens across the country, growing 40 percent of America’s produce. Similarly, these are scary times, and a new approach to food security is demanded.”

Fallon wrote to Obama, “I would be honored to serve in this capacity and believe I am well qualified. As I see it, the challenge involves both managing a
successful fruit and vegetable garden (and a small chicken coop for eggs!) and promoting greater food security across the country.” Fallon summarized his experience in politics, community organizing, gardening and farming:

• Served 14 years in the Iowa Legislature, and ran for Governor and Congress.
• Worked as a consultant with John Edwards’ campaign for president in 2007.
• Co-founded and directed two non-profit organizations.
• Traveled extensively across Iowa promoting farmland preservation initiatives.
• Co-founded the North Park Neighborhood Association.
• Co-founded a business which focuses in part on promoting locally grown foods.
• Raised much of his family’s produce over th e past twenty years.
• Helped establish and manage a community garden comprising five city lots.
• Coordinated the planting of 25,000 oak trees on his family’s farm in Ireland.
• Apprenticed on two farms in Nova Scotia in the early 1980s.
• As a Legislator, served on the House Agriculture Committee for six years.
• Developed a business plan for a grocery store featuring locally-grown food.

“To conclude,” wrote Fallon, “let me again quote Pollan: ‘{T}he president should throw his support behind a new Victory Garden movement, this one seeking “victory” over three critical challenges we face today: high food prices, poor diets and a sedentary population.’”

I would suggest that Backyard Abundance's Fred Meyer could split the chores with Ed and Kurt Friese could cook up some great locally grown meals for the Obamas.

Going Back(Yard) to the Country

Fred Meyers, the King of Backyard Abundance, sent out this notice. If you haven't seen the possibilities a backyard can hold to improve the environment, you've got to check this out!

Do you want to help our environment, but need inspiration and ideas? Backyard Abundance is once again sponsoring free events to show how pioneering Iowa City residents have designed environmentally-beneficial features into their yards. In addition to yard tours, hands-on events will demonstrate how to implement these beneficial features in your own yard.

Since the summer of 2006, hundreds of people have visited ecologically-diverse residences to learn innovative ways to improve their yards and help our environment. This year, the yards are just as varied and interesting. Learn how to create a healthy backyard forest, understand how to manage your storm water, and discover how to maintain native prairie plants. We also plan to team up with the newly formed “Food Not Lawns” organization to do exactly what their name implies: show step-by-step how to convert a lawn into a beautiful garden of herbs, fruits, and vegetables.

These tactile events are presented in the context of understanding how our well-being is directly affected by the health of the land and wildlife; how caring for our local environment is equivalent to caring for our family and community. This grassroots approach to land care helps explore and improve our relationship with nature so we can create outdoor spaces that are equally healthy for plants, animals, insects, and people.

The first event is Saturday, May 10, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm at the home of Jim Fluck and Julie Scott, 38 Quincent Court, Iowa City. They are working to restore the health of their beautiful woodland backyard to its pre-settlement resiliency. Photos and descriptions of this event and others can be seen on the web site: http://BackyardAbundance.org.

If you would like more information, please contact Fred Meyer at fred.meyer@BackyardAbundance.org or 319-358-7665.