Local farmer nominated to feed the White House
By Michael Pommier
The Fort Scott Tribune
The opportunity to work for President Barack Obama could become a reality for one local farmer.
Diana Endicott of Good Natured Family Farms Alliance found out Monday she had been nominated for the first ever position of White House Farmer. Endicott is one of 75 nominees to work as a farmer for the White House.
According to the White House Farmer Web site, www.whitehousefarmer.com, the farmer will be charged with transforming "five prime south-facing acres of the White House lawn and plant(ing) in their place an organic fruit and vegetable garden." The produce harvested from the farm will be used by the White House Chef, and given to area food banks.
Dr. Charles Cleland, a friend of Endicott with the United States Department of Agriculture, heard of the program and decided to nominate his friend.
"When I heard about this program I though 'gee whiz' wouldn't it be nice if somebody like her were to be recognized," Cleland said. "Diana is somebody I think the world of."
Endicott is no stranger to being honored for her hard work. She is a recipient of the National Agriculture Hall of Fame's Honor Acre, Small Business Innovation Research Award and was named a "Trailblazer" by the Kansas City Star.
Together with her husband, Gary, Endicott created the Good Natured Family Farms Alliance which has a partnership with Ball Food Stores in Kansas City to sell natural goods made from approximately 150 farms within 200 miles of Kansas City. Those goods represented by the alliance include: honey, milk, cheese, beef and chicken. Her husband operates the processing plan in Uniontown where the beef and chicken from those in the alliance is processed.
The Endicotts also operate a 400 acre organic and 400 acre transitional farm in Bronson. When not working on the farm, Endicott studies and promotes food safety and labeling.
The campaign for Endicott began Tuesday morning with e-mails and phone calls to everybody she works with. According to Endicott the campaign is similar to that of Obama's campaign.
"Basically what we have done is really more of a grass roots ... Obama approach," Endicott said.
Endicott said the campaign has gone well despite the short amount of time in which to work with. She added her campaign has been more about awareness of the program than promoting herself.
"For the little amount of time we've had, we've made a lot of people aware," Endicott said.
Of the 75 nominees, Endicott has already propelled into the top 10. According to the White House Farmer Web site, the top three vote-getters will be submitted to Obama. Endicott said the campaign has a long way to go, some of the nominees have been on the Web site since November.
"Hopefully we'll be at least in the top three," Endicott said. "We have a long way to go in a very short time."
In spite of her numerous honors, Endicott remains humble and believes the nomination is not just for her.
"I don't know if it is so much about myself as much as it is about the alliance and the farmers," Endicott said. "It was an honor but not just for me, as much as it was for the work that we do."
Nomination and voting remains open until midnight, Jan. 31. To cast a vote or to make a nomination visit www.whitehousefarmer.com.