The Weekly Feed: Experimentation Edition
Former Blade Staffers Launch 'DC Agenda'
D.C. Insurance Dept. Denies Birth Control Coverage Meddling
Controversy Over Rhee Now to Include Sex, Congress
D.C. Unemployment Rate Reaches 11.9 Percent
Check this out, farmers market fans: President Obama yesterday told a gaggle of health care reporters that he and his family would like to see about putting a farmers market in right outside the White House.
One of the things that we're trying to do now is to figure out, can we get a little farmers' market -- outside of the White House -- I'm not going to have all of you all just tromping around inside -- (laughter) -- but right outside the White House -- (laughter) -- so that -- so that we can -- and -- and -- and that is a win-win situation.There's certainly room for more farmers markets in D.C., and opening one by the White House sounds like a cool idea. There's something to be said for the first family setting a national example of buying local, fresh ingredients.It gives suddenly D.C. more access to good, fresh food, but it also is this enormous potential revenue-maker for local farmers in the area. And -- and that -- those kinds of connections can be made all throughout the country, and -- and has to be part of how we think about health.
But I'm not sure I'm convinced about "enormous" revenues or that D.C. is somehow not already getting access to the fresh vegetables it wants. We have a lot of existing, high quality farmers markets that are located in neighborhoods where people actually live. How many of you would be willing to traipse all the way down to the White House for your fruit and veggies every week anyway? Or maybe the Obamas are hoping to sell apples to tourists? Good luck with that.
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I think this would be a nice idea, hopefully it would be on a weekday for the people that work near the White House (like me!).
Seconded! I work two blocks away, and I would LOVE to have a decent access to fresh fruits and veggies on work days.
Thirded (is that a word?) - it would be great to have fruit and vegetables that weren't from the half smoke vendors, and a great way to spend a lunch break.
Yep - do it on Fridays. Tourists would find some value/novelty in it and nearby workers could go on their most work-shy afternoon. Plus, it helps the pedestrianized Pennsylvania Avenue.
Yeah, Barack once again has a great idea here, and it would also be great to see the family at existing markets, like Eastern Market or Dupont.
Are you joking? It's bad enough trying to fight your way through through the SUV strollers and panicked, withdrawal-suffering organic free-range radish addicts to get to your (overpriced) arugula. You want to do battle with a secret service security detail on top of that??
Are you kidding, tourists would eat that shit up! (literally) and they'd free up Eastern Market a bit so I could get a damn seat a Peregrine on the weekends.
Would Michelle and the girls be selling food from this organic White House garden we've heard so much about?
Yeah, I bet they could sell a tomato for $50 and people would buy it.
That's still cheaper than the Dupont Circle farmers market. ;)
sounds gimmicky, but still a good idea. though i would also "tromping around" inside the White House too... I'd love to re-live Andrew Jackson's inaugural party ( http://www.thesmartset.com/article/article09300801.aspx )
Since they're never going to re-open Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House, they should just tear it up and turn it into an urban garden with it's own public market, a la the old Center Market.
At the very least, they should round up the career peaceniks who live in the park across the street and use them as fertilizer.
please let them keep some pavement for the bicyclists! i refuse to ride on the sidewalk and with pennsylvania all torn up i have to either walk my bike or take a different route!
..At the very least, they should round up the career peaceniks who live in the park across the street and use them as fertilizer..
But who else would raise awareness about the US invasion of Grenada? Don't tell them its over. US out of Grenada now!
You can't hug a child with nuclear arms! But you'd be suprised at how far one will fit up a man's rectum.
Rectum? I practically killed 'em!
I could see a farmer's market like the one by the DOT/Navy Yard Metro-- a small, weekday afternoon market that sells half fresh produce and half prepared food that people can grab for lunch. It would be especially nice if the prepared meals were made from farmer's market items and were healthful in some way. This would send out some great messages about supporting local farmers and adopting healthy eating habits, and it would give tourists and people who work nearby a place to get lunch and stock up on produce mid-week.
well..i LIVE four blocks from the white house, so i wouldn't be going "all the way down" anywhere. so, yes, i would definitely go to this. but also i will point out there is a farmers market pretty close by on wednesdays at the foggy bottom metro.
this could be really cool i think. and there are at least some people who live relatively close to the white house. i know i do.
To me, this and the girl fight video story below are part of a much larger story, namely that girls fighting and farmers markets are both awesome. I would throw in the Tastee Diner story as well, since girls kissing is not unawesome, but I'm against discrimination this week.
What's not to like about another farmer's market? maybe all the expectations are for real - but it certainly wouldn't hurt anyone to be selling some more fresh food.
meant to say aren't. not are. are not. arrrrrrr. pirate moment.
The biggest problem with DC's tourist image is that many tourists seem to think that no "real people" live there, or that somehow DC's not a real city. Most of them never leave the Mall area. A farmer's market on Pennsylvania probably would be a little bit of a gimmick, and it might end up stocking a more tourist-friendly set of goods than many other farmer's markets in town, but I think it would be great for our image as a city.
I agree that Friday is the right day. I would totally go Friday after work.
Sure. We'd all like some "real people" to live in DC, but what are the chances of that happening, Marge?
There is a great farmers market every Friday - - going on right now actually!! - - right across the mall at the USDA Headquarters... Right outside the Smithsonian (Independence Ave Side) metro. It has all kinds of great food and music.
Which is nowhere near my office, but the white house is two blocks away- I would go on a weekday
Awesome idea. I disagree about putting it on a weekday. All the other farmer markets in that area (Foggy Bottom, Penn Quarter, and USDA) are during the week, so put it on a weekend to draw locals to that area. Downtown is trying to establish its residential qualities during the weekend, and this would be a great way. Even better, do it on 1 weekday and either Saturday or Sunday!