Local woman in running for ‘White House farmer’
TO VOTE
People can go online to www.whitehousefarmer.com to nominate people for White House farmer and to vote for their choices until Saturday, Jan. 31.
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Brodhead's Dela Ends has been nominated to become the first White House farmer.
SPRING VALLEY TOWNSHIP — The White House has a chef, so why shouldn’t it have a farmer?
That’s the question a group is posing to the new president, along with three nominees who could fill the role.
Dela Ends of Scotch Hill Farm outside of Brodhead might be one of the three.
Ends is among 37 who as of this morning had been put forward for the so-far non-existent position of White House farmer.
It’s an exciting opportunity, Ends said, but admits, “it’s a dream.”
“But we’re definitely dealing with an administration that says it wants to listen, so this is a real opportunity to bring some change,” she said.
WhiteHouseFarmer.com was conceived by the Brockmans, a farm family in central Illinois, according to the site. Visitors to the Web site can vote for their favorite farmer, and organizers plan to submit the top three vote getters to President Barack Obama.
The site, it says, is a forum to follow up on Michael Pollan’s call for a White House farmer in a New York Times open letter to Obama.
The White House farmer would be charged with transforming “five prime south-facing acres of the White House lawn” into an organic fruit and vegetable garden. The produce would be used by the White House chef and given to area food banks, the site says.
“They’re kind of looking for a specialized person, and it’s the type of work we’ve been doing in Rock County for 15 years,” Ends said.
Five acres?
“That would be easy for me,” she said. “I grow vegetables for 200 families.”
Scotch Hill Farms is a community supported agriculture farm. Families sign up to receive fresh produce for 20 weeks from the rural Brodhead farm. Ends and her family work about 30 acres, including a few acres of grain and hay for their animals—goats, sheep, a pony and chickens.
Her family’s organic farm is part of Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture, a leader in the country’s community support agriculture movement, she said. Ends is a member of the steering committee for the Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training, and she’s been a 4-H leader for 15 years, leading the goat and gardening projects.
So how about farming at the White House?
“Ya know, that would be fun,” she said with a laugh.
If all the ifs come true—if Obama was to create such a position, and if Ends was chosen—she said doesn’t think she’d move.
“I have a farm, a business,” she said. “I guess we’d just see what they want. Personally, I would just like to have a voice … It would make more sense for a farmer from that area who knows how to grow in that region.”
The movement is more about the discussion it creates, she said.
“If they (the Obama administration) will just listen, listen to ideas and implement them, that would be fantastic,” she said.
But Ends said she’s still looking for your vote.
“I will represent Rock County. We need jobs in Rock County right now, and I’d love to see more people get into the kind of farming we do. I’d be glad to teach them.”
Jan 31, 2009 at 10:21 p.m.
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I don't consider working 8 hours a day "working hard". I'd call that working. 12+ hours a day - now that is working hard.
Jan 30, 2009 at 9:28 a.m.
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Ms. Ends would not get my vote for this. She and her husband have been way to holier than thou when it comes to their style of agriculture. Her selection would be a slap in the face to the majority of farmers who feed the world.
Jan 30, 2009 at 9:26 a.m.
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With all that's on Obama's plate (no pun intended), I would hope he and his people have the good sense to pass on this ridiculousness.
Jan 26, 2009 at 10:10 p.m.
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The Ends' operation is truly a great one. They work hard (usually eight hours a day) to maintain the land and everything on it. I've helped out around the farm a couple of times and Dela really deserves your vote...I personally would love to see someone from our own backyard have such a great opportunity!
Jan 26, 2009 at 9:24 p.m.
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Darn, I really wanted that glass of water.
Anyways, thank you garyprimer. Now I have to find a gibberish interpreter to help with the rest of Mr. whocares77 post. lol
Jan 26, 2009 at 7:34 p.m.
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Piligrams were the first real farmers. Everybody knows that. No glass of water for you!
Jan 26, 2009 at 6:48 p.m.
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Mr. whocares77, could you please tell me what "piligrams" are? Is it medication for grandmothers?
Jan 26, 2009 at 4:39 p.m.
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Got my vote and consevative is the key go green as in gardening.
Jan 26, 2009 at 4:31 p.m.
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poison and deadly gas? By 2050 there will be 9 Billion hungry people (6 B. today) With out modern farming methods that impove yield, quality and save soil (no-till) we would need 4 times a much land to produce the food needed to suport human life on earth Today. before modern farming, corn produced 30bu/ac(57#/bu). Farmers now average 160bu. With out geneticaly enhanced crops, farmers would have to use more chemical produced in factories that comsume rescurces and polute. They can use ounces per acre to control weeds, not pounds. Clean fields also use less nutrients to produce crops. And by using NoTill they can elimate tillage which distroys soil and organic matter, releases carbon into the air and polutes water. BTW, behind the scenes, monsanto is losing thier grip on the GMO industry. most farmers will be happy to know that!!!.... also by needing fewer farmer to produce food, we have more people who can be scientist, doctors, and such
Jan 26, 2009 at 4:13 p.m.
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the Ends are a great member of the farming community in the area. they have done a great job working with kids at the county fair. 95% of this country has no idea how hard it is to grow food. it would be a great educational addition to the Mall. Our founding father were farmers. Since ancent Mesopotamia, civilizations have risen and fallen by the health of the farming comunity. No food, No civilization.
Jan 26, 2009 at 4:06 p.m.
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Plant some marijuana, sell it. Use THAT as your test farm.
Jan 26, 2009 at 3:29 p.m.
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???????
Jan 26, 2009 at 2:33 p.m.
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huh??????
Jan 26, 2009 at 1:31 p.m.
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the people that complain maybe,should travel outside your 50 mile radius of janesville. every square inch of japan that can grow something,is supporting someone.i remember reading about the piligrams, the first real farmers, and i think that's how they did it. if you did not grow it, you starved.they are probbaly laughing at you on how much wasted time you spend on your unproductive key board, commenting on things that won't even get you a free glass of water.
Jan 26, 2009 at 12:12 p.m.
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My point exactly, puffer.
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What makes it even WORSE is the land is being excessively poisoned with chemicals and deadly gasses because of these subsidies and WE are paying for it.
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Jan 26, 2009 at 12:03 p.m.
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"Real" farming would be the kind where you aren't supported by gov't subsidies.
Jan 26, 2009 at 11:33 a.m.
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whether they grow it or buy it the taxpayer pays. What is the difference. Those darn Obamas wanting food. Get real righties
Jan 26, 2009 at 11:14 a.m.
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GRRRR. MY Tax Money. GRRRR. Taxes. GRRRRRRR. Lefties. GRRRRR.
Could we have some original complaints please? This seems like a reasonable idea, at least to float and consider. My employer actually grows food on the property to be used in the cafeteria. It's a good use of space and allows what might otherwise be processed or frozen food to be fresher. It's a good idea. Further, small farms and farming are very important to the history of this country, so I think it would be a nice symbolic gesture to our history as well.
Jan 26, 2009 at 11:02 a.m.
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I don't want my tax money going to a "white house farmer". In fact, it angers me that tax money will be spent to even consider the idea.
Jan 26, 2009 at 10:14 a.m.
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Growing food that people can actually eat, probably without using excessive chemicals and deadly gasses in big white tanks transported across our public roads.......
........what else is a "real farmer"?
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Jan 26, 2009 at 10:05 a.m.
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Real farming! You have got to be kidding me and you are addressing a fourth-generation real farmer.
Jan 26, 2009 at 10:05 a.m.
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.........a REAL "demonstration plot", if you will.
Jan 26, 2009 at 10:02 a.m.
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This could be an actual demonstration to other so-called "farmers" of what real farming actually is.
Jan 26, 2009 at 9:59 a.m.
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I disagree..The headline sounded ridiculous, but after reading the article, it sounded quite plausible.
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I would tear up and garden most of my lawn if it weren't for the vandalism that would probably make the effort useless.
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What good is an excessive amont of mowed grass anyway??
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Jan 26, 2009 at 9:53 a.m.
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Sounds like a tremendous waste of money. The crowd in Washington should love it!
Jan 26, 2009 at 8:46 a.m.
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I can't believe that there is a group of lefties that want to tear up 5 acreas of the most prestiges home in the world and wants to put in a garden,didn't the beverly hillbillys do that,try whole foods it would cost alot less. THIS STORY IS RIDICULOUS!!!
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