First Lady takes lead to harvest White House crop

Michelle Obama has rolled up her sleeves to help bring in the harvest at the White House vegetable garden.

The First Lady joined forces with more than 25 pupils from Washington DC’s Bancroft and Tubman Elementary Schools to scour the plot for signs of fruit and vegetables.

Along with her assistants, she found several hundred pounds of food, including peppers, broccoli, tomatoes and lettuce.

Ground was broken at the White House vegetable garden in the spring of 2009 and since then more than 1,600lbs have been harvested.

As well as supplying the White House kitchens, the plot forms part of an initiative to encourage improved nutrition and greater levels of physical activity in American youngsters.

It is hoped that schools and communities will be inspired to follow the First Lady’s example and start growing produce in their gardens and greenhouses.

In September 2007, Ms Obama, a lawyer, was ranked by 02138 Magazine as one of the year’s 100 most influential Harvard alumni.