SeeCalifornia.com

Photos: Michelle Obama, the First Lady, holds broccoli; farm workers in Greenfield, California.

Many are too young to remember a president named George H. W. Bush. Back in 1990 he spoke out against broccoli, and it took the California broccoli growers years to recoup.  Here’s what he said: “Just as Poland had a rebellion against totalitarianism, I am rebelling against broccoli, and I refuse to give ground. I do not like broccoli, and I haven’t liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I’m President of the United States, and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli.”

George also preferred French Fries to baked potatoes. Our current U.S. president has a wife (Michelle) who is a health nut. Though she’s spoken out about not liking beets, she promotes most of the produce California is known for–lettuce, tomatoes, grapes, nuts, dairy products, and broccoli! The president’s wife even re-worked the the food pyramid. That’s how passionate she is about eating healthy.

California is the nation’s top broccoli grower.  We produce over 90% of broccoli in the U.S. and ship around 15-20% to countries such as Canada.  There is no broccoli festival in California though Greenfield used to be the Broccoli Capital of the World, and hosted a broccoli festival. These days you’ll find many fruit & vegetable festivals celebrating artichokes, garlic, oranges, mandarins, wine, grapes, lemons, avocados and even potatoes, but no broccoli. What gives? It’s time to bring back the broccoli!