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The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release

Remarks by the First Lady at White House Kitchen Garden Harvest

Kitchen Garden

3:23 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Now, let me make sure everybody knows who's here, because we've got a couple -- a few new schools.  So when I read your school name, I want you to yell out as loud as you can so that the President hears it in the Oval Office, okay?

All right, we've got the Magnolia Elementary School from Maryland.  (Applause.)  That was really good.  Do it one more time.  (Applause.)  Oh, that's awesome. 

Okay, we've got the North Elementary School from West Virginia.  (Applause.) Whoa, you guys are ready for Halloween.  And do you -- we have parents and teachers, too?  You guys are a little more subdued.  It's good, it's good.  Very good of you.

We've got Linwood Holton Elementary School.  (Applause.)  Yes!  (Laughter.)

And then we have our two favorite schools who are always here.  We've got Tubman Elementary School.  Where are Tubman Schools?  Oh, see, it's old -- yes, there you go, there you go.  See, Tubman, they're here every year, so it's just sort of like -- oh, yeah, White House, the harvest, uh huh.  (Laughter.)

And then we've got Bancroft.  (Applause.)  Outrageous!  That's wonderful.

Well, welcome to the White House.  And wow, look at the garden.  It looks pretty good.  For those of you who may have prematurely reported on the demise of the White House Kitchen Garden, as you can see, it is healthy and growing and fine.  And we are excited to see what we can pull up today.  And then after we harvest, what else are we going to do? 

CHILD: Cook!

CHILD:  And eat!

MRS. OBAMA: Cook and eat, that's right.  But should I introduce our special friends?  We have some special guests of honor who were here earlier today for a press conference that we had in the White House, and they agreed to come down and help us harvest and eat.  I'd like to introduce to you Elmo and Rosita!  Yay! 

Hey, guys!

ELMO:  Hello, everybody!

MRS. OBAMA:  How are you guys doing?

ROSITA:  We are so excited!  And look, they have your favorite vegetable here -- is broccoli.

ELMO:  Broccoli!

MRS. OBAMA:  It is one of my favorites.  And in Spanish, it's broccoli. 

ROSITA:  Broccoli.  (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA:  I remember that.  (Laughter.)

ELMO:  This is very exciting. 

MRS. OBAMA:  We are so glad to have you here, Elmo and Rosita.  So we're going to get to work. 

So Sam, did you -- did everybody get their teams?

MR. KASS:  We are ready to go.

MRS. OBAMA:  All right, well, on three, let's move.  One, two, three, let's move!  Let's go, let's go, let's go, let's go! 

END
3:26 P.M. EDT