Harvesting at the White House Kitchen Garden

Three dozen fifth-graders from Bancroft Elementary School in Washington had a picnic with First Lady Michelle Obama Tuesday.

But they had to work for it.

Before sitting down to salad, brown rice and baked chicken in the First Lady's flower garden, they had to put in some time in the First Lady's vegetable garden.

Working along side the First Lady and White House chef Sam Kass - and under a threatening sky - the school children cut lettuce and harvested snap peas - eating some right off the vine at Mrs. Obama's urging.

This is the same garden the school children and the First Lady planted in April and the abundance was impressive. Kass said the White House kitchen has harvested more than 90 pounds of produce already.

A handful of the students then followed the First Lady into the White House kitchen, where they shelled peas and prepared the boneless, skinless chicken breasts for baking by dredging them in flour and bread crumbs.

"It's the new fried chicken," said Kass.

Meanwhile, the rest of the children prepared the salad and dressing and decorated cupcakes with fresh fruit on damask-covered tables set up in the First Lady's garden.

The students then listened -- along with the gathered press corps -- to Mrs. Obama speak about health care and the importance of diet in maintaining good health before the press corps was shooed away and Mrs. Obama and the kids got down to eating and chatting.
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