Who says August doesn't have a holiday?

Be on the lookout here in the next 12 days for an announcement about a party here in Salem to celebrate the freshest, juiciest, most satisfying holiday we've heard of in a long time -- It's "International Kitchen Garden Day," on Sunday, August 23, the kick off for

National Community Gardening Week!

	AGRICULTURE SECRETARY VILSACK [see his wedding photo above] PROCLAIMS AUGUST 23-29 AS NATIONAL COMMUNITY GARDENING WEEK
	WASHINGTON, Aug. 6, 2009 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today encouraged Americans to connect with the land, the food it grows and their local communities by proclaiming August 23-29, National Community Gardening Week. A community garden is an opportunity to educate everyone about from where food comes, whether that is a Farmers Market or a garden, and is important to increasing generations of healthy eaters. Community gardens can be anywhere whether it is in the country, a city or a suburb. It can be one community plot or can be many individual plots. "Community gardens provide numerous benefits including opportunities for local food production, resource conservation, and neighborhood beautification," said Vilsack. "But they also promote family and community interaction and enhance opportunities to eat healthy, nutritious foods. Each of these benefits is something we can and should strive for." The American Community Gardening Association was presented with the official proclamation at the association's 30th Annual Conference today in Columbus, Ohio. USDA continues its work across the country to promote the value and importance of how people can benefit from healthy food in their communities. Resources available to community gardens through the USDA include grants, site technical assistance and informational materials on gardening and food production methods. . . . The garden concepts that USDA is practicing serves as a living example of how to provide healthy food, air and water for people and communities as well as food and shelter for wildlife, while improving soil health and water quality. Information about 'The People's Garden' initiative is available at www.usda.gov/peoplesgarden or follow 'The People's Garden' at www.twitter.com/peoplesgarden for the latest updates, harvests and events.