First Lady Katie O'Malley Kicks Off "Grow It Eat It Campaign" to Encourage Marylanders to Plant Their Own Gardens

Joins Beginner and Master Gardeners to Plant Food Garden at Government House

 

first lady planting garden with kids

ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 25, 2009) – First Lady Katie O’Malley today celebrated National Gardening Month and Maryland Grow it Eat it Month by planting a food garden at Government House.  First Lady O’Malley was joined by beginner gardeners who learned basic techniques of gardening from Maryland’s Master Gardener instructors.

“Not only is April ‘National Gardening Month’ and ‘Earth Month,’ but Governor O’Malley has also declared April to be ‘Maryland Grow It Eat It Month,’ in which we’re encouraging Marylanders to plant gardens at home to grow their own produce,” said First Lady Katie O’Malley.  “During World War I and II, when American families faced incredible hardship and financial strain, the federal government asked every citizen to plant ‘victory gardens’ to help support the country’s efforts abroad, as well as their hungry families at home.  We’re continuing that tradition today, recognizing the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and protecting our environment – even during these tough economic times.”

First Lady O’Malley has partnered with University of Maryland Cooperative Extension to promote their new campaign, “Grow It Eat It,” which encourages Maryland families to improve health and save money by growing fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs using sustainable practices.  The campaign hopes to encourage one million Marylanders to produce their own affordable, healthy food.  More information on the campaign and the University of Maryland’s Master Gardener program can be found at www.growit.umd.edu. 

“We are really excited that Mrs. O’Malley is planting a kitchen garden for her family and launching the Grow it Eat it campaign in Annapolis,” said Jon Traunfeld, Director University of Maryland Extension's Home and Garden Information Center. “The Maryland Department of Agriculture, the UMD Home and Garden Information Center, and Master Gardeners along with leadership from Maryland’s First Family make a great team for this project.”

kids planting garden“There are so many good things about having a vegetable garden,” said Agriculture Secretary Roger Richardson. “Backyard gardening teaches young people the value of the work it takes to grow something, the perseverance to see it through to harvest, and the joy of tasting something delicious that they grew themselves. In addition to the health and educational benefits, food gardening benefits Maryland’s nurseries and garden centers with seed and plant sales. Gardeners also are generally known to shop at farmers’ markets more often to supplement the fresh produce that they don’t grow themselves.”

Maryland will be one of the first states, if not the first state in the nation, to have a backyard food garden at the Governor’s home. The vegetable garden will set a realistic example of what Maryland families can do in their own backyards. Gardening can help introduce families to the outdoors and can encourage more exercise as well as the understanding of the source of their food.

The Maryland Master Gardener Program began in 1978.  The Master Gardener program is a principal outreach education unit of the University of Maryland that serves most Maryland counties and Baltimore City. According to the National Gardening Association, a well-maintained food garden yields a $500 return when considering a typical gardener’s investment and the market price of produce.  It is estimated that 37 percent of all U.S. households, or about 43 million families, plan to grow vegetables, fruit, berries or herbs in 2009.  Seven million U.S. households have decided to plant home gardens in 2009, a 19% increase from last year.

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