American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America by Michelle Obama

American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America Reviews

• 
  Naomi

  This book was just all around cool and unusual. Can I give it more than 5 stars?!?!
  
  First off, Mrs. Obama gave a history of gardening in the US focusing on the Victory Gardens of WWII. I have heard alot about them, but it was interesting to see how they had impacted her family while before she was born and while she was growing up. I loved the fact that she demostrated bringing children into the WH and teaching them about food sustainability. I think gardening is a lost artform in a country surrounded with fast food or several types of grocery stores.
  
  Second, she gave bios of White House gardeners and the kitchen staff. It was fascinating to read them discuss how they use the crops each season, not only in meals for the first family, but also state meals.
  
  On a sidenote, she discusses WH gardens and suitable plants through out the seasons, even Winter. Something I never thought about in my own garden, but will def. be taking into consideration this year.
  
  Third, she discusses growing your own garden and tips for making it successful. I had my own garden for years, but I think that backyard gardens are a thing of the past for 99% of Americans and that is sad to me. One of the chefs talked about the taste of fresh picked fruit, herbs and veggies compared to ones that have been sitting in a store and he is right. Having a food blog and cooking alot. I love being able to walk out back and grab my fruits/veggies right off the plant/tree. The great point that she brought up is the concept of community garden plots for those who live in a city or suburb setting. Can't do a community garden in the city...farmers markets are EVERYWHERE! Some are HUGE and some are small in a parking lot, but still worth the looksee!
  
  Finally, the last section of the book was dedicated to recipes which I could have taken or left. In fact, I did..I grabbed some of them, while leaving some!
• 
  Alana Benjamin

  II read this book because I was going through First Lady withdrawals.
  
  This book exceeded my expectations. It is impeccably curated providing a great balance of visuals and useful information. It highlights The First Lady's motivations for starting a garden and a bit of her family history and upbringing.
  
  The book is divided into seasons showing the preparation, planting, harvesting of the first White House Kitchen Garden and how it expanded over the first four years. The book is very candid about their teething process and challenges of starting the garden as well as showcasing and featuring a lot of the staff and volunteers instrumental in the success of WH Garden. (it indeed took an army!)
  
  I really appreciated the history of gardens and grounds of the White House (really interesting!) as well as the features of the different types of community garden efforts across the country.
  
  The most shocking part of the book was highlighting the history of how childhood obesity became such an epidemic and literally a matter of national security (seriously!). Mrs. Obama earned her title as the most impactful First Lady by picking a universal issue and taking a hands on approach to rectify it with her Let's Move initiatives.
  
  I wish this book wasn't in coffee table format because I think there are a lot of information and lessons to be garnered from it. There is also an audiobook version. However, I really enjoyed the visuals. Again, Michelle Obama withdrawal syndrome is real!
• 
  Donna

  This is Michelle Obama's story about her wanting to feed her children better and how that evolved into ripping up a plot of ground for a garden when she got to the white house. I liked that part of the story because I LOVE to garden. I also liked that she left politics out of the garden. Yay for that.
  
  The middle was more about gardening logistics which wasn't as interesting and it took a little longer to get through. It covered the hows and whys and what to do next and introduces other experts, like other gardeners, cooks, etc. But then towards the end she finished up with community service and charity organizations that are benefited by local growers and their extras. I loved that part and I liked combing through the recipes....I love looking at recipes. I just wish I had more time for that kind of thing like when I didn't work full time. The photos were colorful and they were also nicely placed. So 3 stars.
• 
  sunny (ethel cain’s version)

  I expected more talk of gardening and less ableist obesity rhetoric, but I still thoroughly enjoyed this book with a little bit of skipping through.
  
  The audiobook was an absolute treat!
• 
  Lisa Sim

  Excellent read, makes you re-think what you have on your plate and what you think about foods. I am ready to go to more farmer's markets and check out Growing Power. The author does a great job of explaining how times have changed from the old school attitudes towards food. Fruits and vegetables on our children's plates have almost disappeared due to convenience foods, cost, and availability, as well as knowledge of their importance to our health. Thank you Michelle Obama for bringing awareness and knowledge to our homes. As the cliche goes, Knowledge truly equals power.
• 
  Ancita☆

  Whenever I hear or listen to the Obama seniors, I am always elated to hear a sense of pride in their voice for their country. It is also beautiful to see them use their power and position to bring their pride into results manifested.
  
  This book is about the South side lawn in White House in April 2009. In a bid to feed her family consciously, the then First Lady uses that patch of land to create a home grown garden.
  
  Throughout various chapters, the details range from how they went about doing it (with the help of kids from various schools and WH staff). There are interesting anecdotes shared by the kids that have been mentioned in the book. Also, the WH chefs and other staff share a staggering amount of detail on how to care for the crops in all the seasons vis Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter. There are details by the chef on how to keep the harvested produce fresh.
  
  There are several other interesting facets to the book for gardening lovers that have been shared by various people who worked on the garden or those who have shared their expertise. It is a wholesome experience - reading this book. Suffice to say, a novice like me is inspired to start her own kitchen garden, however small.
• 
  Ruthie Jones

  I love every single thing about this book! Every.Single.Thing!
  
  The story of the White House Kitchen Garden is interesting and inspiring, and the side stories and history really bring everything into focus. Let's create a healthy earth, healthy bodies, healthy families, and healthy communities. It can be done!
  
  The section on the honey bee hives is great! I love honey!
  
  I also like that the book is broken down by seasons in the White House Kitchen Garden (along with the hits and misses), and how so many people and groups, including children, have been involved--and all with tasty recipes to try. The last section talks about the horrific trend of how unhealthy lifestyles are leading to more and more health issues and crisis. I was amazed and saddened that the number of people failing to get into the military has skyrocketed due to obesity and general poor health. They can't pass the entrance physical! Additionally, many young adults have brittle bones and rotten teeth before they have hardly begun to live!
  
  It's time to take action! I love this book!
• 
  Kolumbina

  A beautiful, beautiful book written by Michelle Obama about establishing her first vegetable garden in White House. It was not only a vegetable garden, there were also fruits and bees/beehives. Michelle Obama admitted that she didn't have any previous experience about growing veggie gardens and she had some concerns about approval of such action. But it all worked well, a lot of people got involved, school children, chefs, White House staff... and it went much further, healthy food with proper fruit and vegetables was produced and shared not only in White House but also donated to schools, Miriam's Kitchen... The action went much further, schools started to establish vegetable / fruit gardens as a part of education, even only in pots, army, farmer's markets, TV shows...
  What a rich book with plenty of lovely photographs. Outstanding!
  Loved the bit about bottling White House produced honey and giving it as a gift to visiting dignitaries and heads of state.
  Great! Great!
• 
  🌶 peppersocks 🧦

  Reflections and lessons learned:
  “What to grow - grow what you like to eat!”
  
  On first glance this sounds like a simple project - I think that we’ve all thought it at some point, the simple task of becoming a mini scale farmer and growing sustenance of some form - but you can hear through the book and the narration that this is a real passion for Michelle - a deep concern and care for a world of convenience food and lazy minded approaches. The idealistic washing of hand raised crops is balanced out with truly horrifying morbidity statistics for a book now over ten years old and pre pandemic/ubereats. A must for anyone that thinks the only way to feed and be fed is by someone else’s hand - if you can spend an hour consuming YouTube but not an hour making an enjoyable wholesome meal, who’s missing out in life… be proud of produce in both senses of the word!
• 
  Jen

  I found this in my neighborhood little free library- what a treasure! I love gardening, the Obama’s and I learned that they put a beehive in the White House gardens! This was a lovely book- passing it on to my mom before I put it back in our free library for others to enjoy.
• 
  Carly Friedman

  A lovely reflection on the Obama’s Get Moving initiative, White House garden and the importance of access to fresh produce. Highly recommended!
• 
  Candy

  beautiful!
  
  
  Mrs. Obama said she “wanted [her] garden to be more than just a plot of land growing vegetables […], I wanted it to be the starting point for something bigger […] and I hoped this garden would help begin a conversation about this issue, the food we eat, and the lives we lead." <- did I quote that correctly, nope. do I care, definitely not.
  
  I think gardening is one of the greatest lessons in patience as it was the first and oldest job on our planet. My forever First Lady enjoys gardening, healthy living, and giving back to the community.
  I mean come on?! It's a no brainer, an entire keeper for the shelves.
• 
  Zivile

  Through this book I learned that Michelle Obama, actually, didn't cultivate her urban gardens herself, which disappointed me (but I also understand her busy schedule). But her idea to set an example to the country is really amazing. I admire her for that.
• 
  Angelle

  I don’t know why this has stuck with me for so long, but I remember when Sen. Cory Booker wished Michelle Obama a happy birthday earlier this year, he said, “I miss Obama…I miss her husband too.” I love that. I picked up a copy of American Grown by Michelle Obama about a week before the election, mostly because I was reminiscing about better times but also trying to send some positivity out into the universe (hey, it worked!). American Grown covers the evolution of the White House Kitchen Garden, which, under the First Lady’s leadership and guidance, became more than a place for seasonal fruits, vegetables and herbs to grow; it became a conversation starter for the entire country to discuss our health, access to to fresh produce and how we can set the stage for future generations to thrive. I love that she incorporated the voices of everyday heroes from coast to coast, telling the stories of their community gardens, farmers markets, school programs and personal transformations to live happier, healthier lives. It’s such an uplifting book!
• 
  Mandy

  Quite honestly, I just wanted to hear MO's soothing voice and
  Becoming isn't available yet.
  
  BUT she ended up nearly convincing me that YEAH I WANT TO GARDEN even though I really don't have the time/skill/space/motivation for it. And I love how it tied into the Let's Move initiative, which I can't understand why there could have any pushback on (well, I know why, but it's really a cut-nose-off-to-spite-face sort of thing). So she also makes me want to exercise more and eat better. THANKS, MOBAMA <3 <3 <3
• 
  Kat Coffin

  This was a lovely book. Gorgeous photographs of the White House Kitchen Garden, fascinating insights into the history of White House gardens, lovely gardening tips and healthy, fresh recipes. I found it very inspiring. I've always wanted to learn how to garden and this book provides both inspiration and practical tips for beginners. Michelle Obama was a beginner herself (though I'm sure it helped having a staff of chefs and gardeners who knew what they were doing). I was also interested in reading about her "Let's Move" campaign. It is disappointing that so much of that campaign was hampered by soda and candy lobbies. I wish Ms. Obama had mentioned this.
• 
  Ying

  Had a great time listening to this quite niche book.
  
  If you like Michelle Obama, gardens, the White House garden, hearing about government policy.. you will enjoy this book.
  
  I listened to the audiobook read by Michelle Obama herself, interspersed with audio from other figures such as the white house chef and the beekeeper/carpenter guy. Michelle Obama is an excellent narrator and easy to listen to.
  
  The only thing I didn't like as much was hearing from other people, haha. The later half of the book seemed very heavy on the "anecdotes from America" theme, with heaps of people talking about how they have been positively impacted by the Let's Move and Healthy Eating (already forgot the name) initiatives that Michelle started. I guess I knew from the outset this book was pretty much a way for her to promote the policies she had championed (the word propaganda is not inappropriate to describe this book), but.. maybe I only needed half the anecdotes I got???
  
  Regardless it was fun listen. Enjoyed all the hot tips about gardening, picking food to buy, storage.. etc.
  
  It would do well with a epilogue about how these policies have done 8 years later. I was glad to hear that the kitchen garden still stands.
• 
  Mark Fallon

  An enjoyable, aspirational book about not just the White House Garden, but the impacts gardens can have on our communities and our diets. Mrs. Obama clearly has a passion for finding ways to have a positive impact on others – and recognizing people who are doing that at the local level.
  
• 
  Shannon

  DNFd at page 30
  
  Just not my thing. Has lots of history of gardens, gardening, and gardening in relation to the white house. Basically exactly what it says on the tin, just not something I'm interested in enough to continue.
• 
  Leticia

  A sweet and wholesome read and a reminder that there was once goodness and light in the White House and that there can be again one day.
• 
  Sarah Siath

  A nice book about the first lady’s initiatives and mixed in with a bit about gardening. Short and sweet.
• 
  Katelyn Vanhaitsma

  My heart longs for the time when the biggest controversy coming out of the White House was a garden, an exercising initiative, and improved school lunches. I took this incredible First Lady for granted. I'm a terrible gardener, and she inspires me to try again. Listening to her speak of growing up and inviting children to garden with White House staff brought tears to my eyes. She spoke of the mistakes they made in the beginning and how they kept building and doing better. I just gave up, and I should try again.
• 
  Annie Oosterwyk

  Very informative book about community gardens, nutrition and fitness, and how to be an inspirational organizer. Examples of other endeavors throughout the US result in a very positive book.
  I surely do miss this family!!!
• 
  Aamna Naveed

  I liked this! The bits of history about gardens at the White House were very cool. It’s nice to read about the far reaching and communal impacts of gardens and plants :)
• 
  Chris Cathcart

  Part history book, part cookbook, part gardening 101, and all homage to the greatness that is/was/IS-WILL-ALWAYS-BE-MY-FLOTUS, Michelle Obama, American Grown is exactly what you need to read if your American Spirit needs bolstering right now. Pretty sure that's everyone. A great reminder that everything - changes big and small - starts from a tiny seed of an idea.
• 
  Emily

  This story was exactly what I expected it to be. Michelle discusses the failures and successes of the White House garden she built (with lots of help). It provides an incredible window into the way the Obama White House operated from staff harvesting & weeding every morning and constant student visitors to state dinners and gifts for foreign leaders full of home-grown yummies. This was a quick, informative read. Great for anyone wanting to start a garden, learn about national gardening projects or gather some new recipe ideas.
• 
  Jenny

  I loved listening to this book. I wish it wasn't the abridged version though. It has certainly made me hungry for some pear tomatoes, and I am wondering if I can still find a pear tomato plant this late in the year!
  
  A truly delightful book with great tips and tricks for raising a garden interspersed into the journey they took to create the White House Garden. A must listen/read for anyone who wants to start a garden, and a journey to healthy eating.
• 
  Mary Kim

  In April 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama planted a kitchen garden on the White House’s South Lawn. As fresh vegetables, fruit, and herbs sprouted from the ground, this White House Kitchen Garden inspired a new conversation all across the country about the food we feed our families and the impact it has on the health and well-being of our children.
  
  Now, in her first-ever book, American Grown, Mrs. Obama invites you inside the White House Kitchen Garden and shares its inspiring story, from the first planting to the latest harvest. Hear about her worries as a novice gardener – would the new plants even grow? Learn about her struggles and her joys as lettuce, corn, tomatoes, collards and kale, sweet potatoes and rhubarb flourished in the freshly tilled soil. Get an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at every season of the garden’s growth, with striking original photographs that bring its story to life. Try the unique recipes created by White House chefs and made with ingredients just picked from the White House garden. And learn from the White House Garden team about how you can help plant your own backyard, school or community garden.
  
  Mrs. Obama’s journey continues across the nation as she shares the stories of other gardens that have moved and inspired her: Houston office workers who make the sidewalk bloom; a New York City School that created a scented garden for the visually impaired; a North Carolina garden that devotes its entire harvest to those in need; and other stories of communities that are transforming the lives and health of their citizens.
  
  In American Grown, Mrs. Obama tells the story of the White House Kitchen Garden, celebrates the bounty of gardens across our nation, and reminds us all of what we can grow together.