Elizabeth’s Hospitality Law Blog / by Elizabeth Ardanowski

Organic, sustainable foods are near and dear to my heart.  Usually, our government is not one of the most supportive or successful entities in the quest to better our food supply.  However, there is a new ray of hope (albeit a small one)!  Recently, ground was broken on the White House lawn for an organic vegetable garden.  While this is a small move, I find it interesting that the White House is publicly supporting something that we all need to return to.

With support of the Obamas still at a high level, and people copying them in everything from fashion to phraseology, I’m hoping that this new organic vegetable garden at the White House will spur people on to begin growing their own vgetables and herbs.  It is fairly easy – I do it myself.  I still shop at grocery stores and farmers’ markets for fruits and vegetables, but it is fun and easy to grow your food at home.  You can grow them in your yard, or if you don’t have a yard, some good pots in sunny places will do.   It is easier to start the plants with small versions that have already been sprouted and are available at garden centers and nurseries if the idea of starting your garden from seeds is intimidating.  I have been growing some plants (mostly herbs and some heirloom green beans) from seed and some plants (tomatoes, black berries, butter lettuce, and lemons) in replantings from a nursery.  It is easy and cheap – give it a try.  And think about this – you know exactly what chemicals have been put in and on your food.   You can’t say that about the food at grocery stores and in restaurants, unless you do a lot of research.

While this doesn’t necessarily seem like a legal issue related to the hospitality industry, the source, quality, and safety of our food is a huge issue for all of us, an issue that unfortunately involves a whole lot of regulation, many governmental entities, and legal issues galore.

Give it a try yourself!