But further it goes into ways that we can genetically modify our plants so that we can grow them in things like sand or in places that traditionally can't support plant life. (Disclaimer: in the past the European Union has opposed genetically modified foods, indeed many have, because we are not fully aware of effects of long-term exposure of such things. I actually haven't fully formed an opinion on this, but encourage others who know more about it to enlighten me via the comments section.)

If you aren't sure what genetically modified agriculture is think of it like seedless watermelons or the grapple - which is an apple looking fruit but tastes like a grape.. these are created by changing the fundamental genetic makeup of a plant. This is useful in many ways like the examples above but can go even further by like amping up vitamin content or reducing sodium in foods, etc...

The second part of the GM foods was more about ways to grow crops without implanting them in soils but growing them above ground and having a root system that is watered by spraying it. A third was turning traditionally more spread out crops like peppers or squash that are often planted in acres of rows of pants into trees so that these then grow up instead of out using less space but more are able to produce en mass. They call it verti-gro.. no, seriously...

Having been back for less than 5 hours, I was lucky to catch my favorite farmer for a nice sushi dinner to discuss this amazing ride. According to him less than 1/3 of the land mass of the world is usable for crop production, simply because the conditions just aren't there. Sand, rain forest, even cities all take up land that is there to produce our food for the now nearly 7 billion people in the world, many of which are going hungry and die in staggering numbers of starvation. Because the United States began as an agricultural society, our cities naturally formed around the hotbeds of activity ... which were around the best areas of farmland in the country. Thus, much of our land is covered by buildings and suburbs. Growing up, not out, helps us combat the increasing need for food and for having our McTrackHomes.

The reason I bring all of this up, is two fold. One, the future of farming is a future that is quickly dying as youth flee our rural areas. Secondly, it factors into the grassroots movement I heard about on NPR encouraging President Obama to have an organic plot of farmland on the White House lawn.

Eat the View was one of the projects voted to be presented to the new President by On Day One, a project of the Better World Fund, that is pushing people to lobby for the causes they want to see Obama tackle on day one. Eat The View is all about going to organic farming, which I love and eat when possible but isn't the most possible or practical cause for agriculture in America. That said, pushing the President to have a veggie garden on the White House lawn is actually something that is possible. Eat the View is also on Change.org

During the Great Depression and World War 2 people began planting Victory Gardens in efforts to provide more available American food. In 1943 a third of all the vegetables consumed in the country were from those gardens. One such Victory Garden was from the Governor of Oklahoma, who was a little bit of a freak Governor, but one great thing Gov. William Murray (known as Alfalfa Bill) did was plow up the grounds of the Oklahoma Capitol and plant food and allow cattle to graze so that the poor could harvest potatoes or slaughter the beef so people could feed their families.

While I don't expect the new President to grab his team of donkey's and hitch up a plow with Pelosi doing it at the Capitol, it does present a similar idea to the Oklahoma's crazy former governor, particularly in a city like Washington that suffers from such a large homeless and impoverished population.

Soon to be First Lady Michelle Obama has said that she plans to be involved in the community, as the Obamas have been involved in every community particularly with feeding the homeless.

Further, it sets an example for rural youth who are rushing to cities for more of the cosmopolitan lifestyle that even the President believes that farming is such an important element to our world that no farm should go unused and growing food is an honorable task that even the President considers essential to developing.

Finally, if you've ever been to Washington DC, its a beautiful town with millions spent on up-keep for the flowers, shrubs, etc all to make it look pretty for foreign dignitaries, heads of state, and tourism which is a mega industry in the city. Can you imagine how much money could be saved on constantly planting and/or replanting flowers and bushes (not just Bushes) if we went to food as landscaping? The Cherry Blossom festival could also be a spring planting season, and what could be better than a fall harvest as a November Election photo-op?

Hope you have a Happy New Year!