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Michelle Obama to host leaders' spouses at organic farm
US First Lady Michelle Obama welcomes spouses of world leaders attending the UN General Assembly for a luncheon at a New York farm next week to highlight sustainable agriculture, the White House said Friday.
The wife of President Barack Obama will next Friday join the visiting spouses to tour Stone Barns Center, a non-profit farm and education center north of New York, officials said.
"Spouses will take tours of the farm where they will see herbs and other ingredients that will be used in the luncheon... students from a local school will demonstrate their experiences in hands-on farming such as harvesting vegetables and collecting eggs from pasture-raised hens," said the White House.
Located in Pocantico Hills, 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of New York city, the farm is a working operation that seeks to "celebrate, teach and advance community-based food production," and is host to the renowned Blue Hill restaurant where the visiting dignitaries will sit down for lunch.
Michelle Obama has championed healthy lifestyles since arriving in Washington after her husband's landmark 2008 win, and even spearheaded a working organic garden on the White House grounds.
The garden has yielded 1,600 pounds (725 kilograms) of vegetables, berries and herbs, used for White House events and donated to local Washington soup kitchens.
