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TOPIC: Hi-Ho, the Derry-O (9-18-09 Washington Post) Michelle goes to the market


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Hi-Ho, the Derry-O (9-18-09 Washington Post) Michelle goes to the market
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Hi-Ho, the Derry-O
by Dana Milbank

If even the Washington Post is getting annoyed, things may be getting very bad indeed.

Let's say you're preparing dinner and you realize with dismay that you don't have any certified organic Tuscan kale. What to do?

Here's how Michelle Obama handled this very predicament Thursday afternoon:

The Secret Service and the D.C. police brought in three dozen vehicles and shut down H Street, Vermont Avenue, two lanes of I Street and an entrance to the McPherson Square Metro station. They swept the area, in front of the Department of Veterans Affairs, with bomb-sniffing dogs and installed magnetometers in the middle of the street, put up barricades to keep pedestrians out, and took positions with binoculars atop trucks. Though the produce stand was only a block or so from the White House, the first lady hopped into her armored limousine and pulled into the market amid the wail of sirens.

Then, and only then, could Obama purchase her leafy greens. "Now it's time to buy some food," she told several hundred people who came to watch. "Let's shop!"

Cowbells were rung. Somebody put a lei of marigolds around Obama's neck. The first lady picked up a straw basket and headed for the "Farm at Sunnyside" tent, where she loaded up with organic Asian pears, cherry tomatoes, multicolored potatoes, free-range eggs and, yes, two bunches of Tuscan kale. She left the produce with an aide, who paid the cashier as Obama made her way back to the limousine.

There's nothing like the simple pleasures of a farm stand to return us to our agrarian roots.

The first lady had encouraged Freshfarm Markets, the group that runs popular farmers markets in Dupont Circle and elsewhere, to set up near the White House, and she helped get the approvals to shut down Vermont Avenue during rush hour on Thursdays. But the result was quite the opposite of a quaint farmers market. Considering all the logistics, each tomato she purchased had a carbon footprint of several tons.

The promotion of organic and locally grown food, though an admirable cause, is a risky one for the Obamas, because there's a fine line between promoting healthful eating and sounding like a snob. The president, when he was a candidate in 2007, got in trouble in Iowa when he asked a crowd, "Anybody gone into Whole Foods lately and see what they charge for arugula?" Iowans didn't have a Whole Foods.

For that reason, it's probably just as well that the first lady didn't stop by the Endless Summer Harvest tent yesterday. The Virginia farm had a sign offering "tender baby arugula" -- hydroponically grown, pesticide free -- and $5 for four ounces, which is $20 a pound.

Obama, in her brief speech to the vendors and patrons, handled the affordability issue by pointing out that people who pay with food stamps would get double the coupon value at the market. Even then, though, it's hard to imagine somebody using food stamps to buy what the market offered: $19 bison steak from Gunpowder Bison, organic dandelion greens for $12 per pound from Blueberry Hill Vegetables, the Piedmont Reserve cheese from Everson Dairy at $29 a pound. Rounding out the potential shopping cart: $4 for a piece of "walnut dacquoise" from the Praline Bakery, $9 for a jumbo crab cake at Chris's Marketplace, $8 for a loaf of cranberry-walnut bread and $32 for a bolt of yarn.

The first lady said the market would particularly appeal to federal employees in nearby buildings to "pick up some good stuff for dinner." Yet even they might think twice about spending $3 for a pint of potatoes when potatoes are on sale for 40 cents a pound at Giant. They could get nearly five dozen eggs at Giant for the $5 Obama spent for her dozen.

But whatever the socioeconomics, there can be no doubt that Obama brought some serious attention to her cause. Hundreds of people crowded the market entrance on I Street as police directed pedestrians to alternative subway entrances. Hundreds braved a light rain and gave a hearty cheer when Obama and her entourage took the stage. "I can't imagine there's been a day in the history of our country when people have been more excited about farmers markets," Mayor Adrian Fenty, Obama's warm-up act, told the crowd.

The first lady, in gray slacks and blue sweater, marveled that the people were "so pumped up" despite the rain. "I have never seen so many people so excited about fruits and vegetables!" she said. (Must be the tender baby arugula.)

She spoke of the global reach of her cause: "The first thing world leaders, prime ministers, kings, queens ask me about is the White House garden. And then they ask about Bo."

She spoke of the fuel fed to the world's most powerful man: "I've learned that when my family eats fresh food, healthy food, that it really affects how we feel, how we get through the day . . . whether there's a Cabinet meeting or whether we're just walking the dog."

And she spoke of her own culinary efforts: "There are times when putting together a healthy meal is harder than you might imagine."

Particularly when it involves a soundstage, an interpreter for the deaf, three TV satellite trucks and the closing of part of downtown Washington.


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This is from the woman who paid $10,000 for dance lessons for her girls BEFORE her hubby was in the White House.

Her visit to the market was just a photo op.  She doesn't cook anymore and she should lead people to believe that she does.  Her kitchen staff cooks.

Just because the word "Organic" is stamped on something doesn't mean it isn't healthy.  There is just as much sugar, sodium, and bad fats in organic food as non-organic.  It is just 3-4 times the price.

I buy organic milk for my family because I don't want the added hormones.  It costs me a lot.  If I have a little extra I will try to do that with meat too, but many times I can't because it is cost prohibitive.

Who the heck is going to spend money on fancy organic cheeses and crap like that when they can barely afford Raman Noodles?  Fresh fruit and vegetables are extremely expensive unless you have a farmers market that offers locally grown REGULAR produce or you shop at a big grocery store.

MO still has yet to impress me.  She has and never will be common and in-touch, and I don't believe she wants to be.

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Hell no no one on food stamps can spend that much money or they won't eat the rest of the month. 



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the woman embarasses this country more and more every freaking day!

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If MO wants to make nutrition and health her pet issue - there's a hell of a lot better, more realistic way to do address those issues. But, as we all know, that's not what she is doing. She's trying to act out some yuppie fantasy life where people have the time and money to spend on fancy, high dollar foods. Most of us are working our rear-ends off to earn a living every day - to be able to afford the specials at the Wal-Mart grocery section. This woman truly has no substance.

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No kidding.  Healthy stuff is more expensive than stuff that's not healthy.  IE sod vs juice.  The answer is not to tax and make soda and other non healthy things more expensive its to make the healthy foods less expensive.

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Now here's an example of the huge difference between First Lady's.  Who thinks anyone who met HRC as First Lady only had trivial topics, like the cat or a garden, to speak to her about?disbelief


She spoke of the global reach of her cause: "The first thing world leaders, prime ministers, kings, queens ask me about is the White House garden. And then they ask about Bo."


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Optixmom wrote:

This is from the woman who paid $10,000 for dance lessons for her girls BEFORE her hubby was in the White House.

Her visit to the market was just a photo op.  She doesn't cook anymore and she should lead people to believe that she does.  Her kitchen staff cooks.

Just because the word "Organic" is stamped on something doesn't mean it isn't healthy.  There is just as much sugar, sodium, and bad fats in organic food as non-organic.  It is just 3-4 times the price.

I buy organic milk for my family because I don't want the added hormones.  It costs me a lot.  If I have a little extra I will try to do that with meat too, but many times I can't because it is cost prohibitive.

Who the heck is going to spend money on fancy organic cheeses and crap like that when they can barely afford Raman Noodles?  Fresh fruit and vegetables are extremely expensive unless you have a farmers market that offers locally grown REGULAR produce or you shop at a big grocery store.

MO still has yet to impress me.  She has and never will be common and in-touch, and I don't believe she wants to be.




Not to get to "off topic" Optixmom, but I try to do the same thing and I found this websites and their pesticide load lists helpful in prioritizing which organics are worth the price.  As you can see Apple hold some of the highest pesticide loads while bananas do not.  So I buy organic Apple juice or fresh apples, but regular bananas since most of their pesticide load is peeled off before eating.

http://www.foodnews.org/

http://www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php

RANK...........FRUIT OR VEGGIE ....................SCORE

1 ...(worst).........Peach-------------------- 100 (highest pesticide load)

2..................... Apple------------------------- ----93

3................ Sweet Bell Pepper------------------ 83

4.................... Celery----------------------------  82

5..................... Nectarine------------------------ 81

6.................. Strawberries---------------------   80

7.................... Cherries-------------------------  73

8....................... Kale---------------------------  69

9 ......................Lettuce------------------------  67

10.............. Grapes - Imported----------------- 66

11..................Carrot----------------------------  63

12..................... Pear---------------------------  63

13................ Collard Greens-------------------  60

14.................. Spinach-------------------------  58

15 ....................Potato-------------------------  56

16.................. Green Beans-------------------  53

17............... Summer Squash-----------------  53

18.................... Pepper-------------------------  51

19 ..................Cucumber----------------------- 50

20................... Raspberries--------------------  46

21............. Grapes - Domestic-----------------  44

22 .....................Plum---------------------------  44

23................... Orange -------------------------  44

24................... Cauliflower----------------------  39

25 ...................Tangerine-----------------------  37

26.................. Mushrooms---------------------  36

27...................... Banana-----------------------  34

28................. Winter Squash-------------------  34

29.................. Cantaloupe---------------------   33

30 ................Cranberries-----------------------  33

31.............. Honeydew Melon------------------- 30

32 ..................Grapefruit-----------------------  29

33................. Sweet Potato--------------------  29

34 ..................Tomato--------------------------  29

35.................... Broccoli------------------------  28

36 ..................Watermelon---------------------  26

37.................... Papaya--------------------------  20

38................... Eggplant-------------------------  20

39.................... Cabbage------------------------- 17

40 ......................Kiwi----------------------------  13

41............... Sweet Peas - Frozen--------------- 10

42 ..................Asparagus------------------------  10

43...................... Mango--------------------------   9

44 ....................Pineapple------------------------   7

45............. Sweet Corn - Frozen-----------------   2

46 ................... Avocado--------------------------   1

47 (best)............Onion----------------------------   1 (lowest pesticide load)




-- Edited by thebword on Saturday 19th of September 2009 07:12:43 AM

-- Edited by thebword on Saturday 19th of September 2009 07:20:48 AM

-- Edited by thebword on Saturday 19th of September 2009 07:30:48 AM

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Obama, in her brief speech to the vendors and patrons, handled the affordability issue by pointing out that people who pay with food stamps would get double the coupon value at the market. Even then, though, it's hard to imagine somebody using food stamps to buy what the market offered: $19 bison steak from Gunpowder Bison, organic dandelion greens for $12 per pound from Blueberry Hill Vegetables, the Piedmont Reserve cheese from Everson Dairy at $29 a pound. Rounding out the potential shopping cart: $4 for a piece of "walnut dacquoise" from the Praline Bakery, $9 for a jumbo crab cake at Chris's Marketplace, $8 for a loaf of cranberry-walnut bread and $32 for a bolt of yarn.



Michelle basically said: "Let them eat cake".

What an embarassment she is.

And we're supposed to believe that the White House has no one on staff in the kitchen to do the shopping?  PUHHLLEEAZZE!

-- Edited by JustTheFacts on Saturday 19th of September 2009 07:50:14 AM

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thebword wrote:


Not to get to "off topic" Optixmom, but I try to do the same thing and I found this websites and their pesticide load lists helpful in prioritizing which organics are worth the price.  As you can see Apple hold some of the highest pesticide loads while bananas do not.  So I buy organic Apple juice or fresh apples, but regular bananas since most of their pesticide load is peeled off before eating.

http://www.foodnews.org/

http://www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php

RANK...........FRUIT OR VEGGIE ....................SCORE

1 ...(worst).........Peach-------------------- 100 (highest pesticide load)

2..................... Apple------------------------- ----93

3................ Sweet Bell Pepper------------------ 83

4.................... Celery----------------------------  82

5..................... Nectarine------------------------ 81

6.................. Strawberries---------------------   80

21............. Grapes - Domestic-----------------  44

22 .....................Plum---------------------------  44

23................... Orange -------------------------  44

24................... Cauliflower----------------------  39

25 ...................Tangerine-----------------------  37

26.................. Mushrooms---------------------  36

27...................... Banana-----------------------  34

28................. Winter Squash-------------------  34

29.................. Cantaloupe---------------------   33

30 ................Cranberries-----------------------  33

31.............. Honeydew Melon------------------- 30

32 ..................Grapefruit-----------------------  29

33................. Sweet Potato--------------------  29

34 ..................Tomato--------------------------  29

35.................... Broccoli------------------------  28

36 ..................Watermelon---------------------  26

37.................... Papaya--------------------------  20

38................... Eggplant-------------------------  20

39.................... Cabbage------------------------- 17

40 ......................Kiwi----------------------------  13

41............... Sweet Peas - Frozen--------------- 10

42 ..................Asparagus------------------------  10

43...................... Mango--------------------------   9

44 ....................Pineapple------------------------   7

45............. Sweet Corn - Frozen-----------------   2

46 ................... Avocado--------------------------   1

47 (best)............Onion----------------------------   1 (lowest pesticide load)




If you think about it, tree fruits like the apple, peach, and plum have many many nasty pests that like to eat them as much as humans do.  We also have a tendency to be very picky about what our produce looks like.  We tend to like it as blemish free as possible...therefore the need for more pesticides from the farmer's perspective.

My Obot sister-in-law is mostly vegetarian (she eats fish and chicken, but rarely) and she is a stickler about buying organic and soaking her fruits and veges for at least 30 minutes before preparing them.



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Oh, the perks of being the puppet's wife!

Hope your schooling is going well, OM.smile  And good morning, Hillary's World!sun.gif

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I guess her White House Garden was a total failure, or just rotted for lack of attention.
She doesn't surprise me, she showed up in her $500 tennis shoes at an event
couple of months ago,  that in itself tells us all about her character, and her new found life in the White House.

-- Edited by Building 4112 on Saturday 19th of September 2009 09:41:46 AM

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Optix you know I love you but if MO can cook she more then likely does do the cooking.  A black woman who can cook doesn't tend to allow others to cook for her all the time.  I know if I were first lady I would not allow some chief to cook for me an mine.  I would assume that I cook better wink

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