Prince Charles visits DC farm, Supreme Court

Britain’s Prince Charles accepts flowers from Nicole Pendergast, 7, of Washington, during a visit to Common Good City Farm in Washington, on Tuesday, May 3, 2011. Photo: Jacquelyn Martin / AP

D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray described the prince as a “visionary” on environmental issues

By Ben Nuckols
Associated Press
May 3, 2011

Excerpts:

The Prince of Wales spent about 35 minutes touring Common Good City Farm on Capitol Hill. Wearing a gray, double-breasted suit on a muggy, windy day, he shook hands and made small talk with farm staffers, volunteers and dozens of onlookers who crammed against a picket fence.

He did not speak to reporters or address the crowd, but he chatted up children about composting and the members of a jazz band about their equipment. A longtime advocate of sustainable agriculture, Charles picked up a piece of spinach grown at the farm and popped it into his mouth.

Britain’s Prince Charles smiles after he was given flowers by Pertula George, left, during a tour of the Common Good City Farm on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, May 3, 2011, in Washington. Photo: Evan Vucci / AP

“He talked about the food,” said Lonice Queen, 15, who lives near the farm and volunteers there. “He tried it; he loved it.”

“We had a good discussion about the obesity epidemic in this country and how we can turn it around,” George said. “He wants us to have as much of an impact as we can.”

An enthusiastic gardener, Charles was impressed that the farm was using irrigation equipment known as drip tape in a bid to conserve water, George said.

Low-income residents who volunteer at the farm get to take home a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Since January 2007, the farm has provided more than 400 bags of fresh produce to families in the community. More than 2,000 pounds of food were grown there last year.

Read the complete article here.