White House Garden Overgrown During Shutdown! Where Was The First Lady? Maybe If She Started Working In The Garden Her Weight Problem Would Go Away!

First lady's garden being weeded

By Emily Goodin - 10/17/13 04:12 PM ET

  

Michelle Obama's garden is back to being weeded and cared for now that the government has reopened.

National Parks Service staff is back taking care of the White House grounds, which includes the kitchen garden, according to the first lady's office.

Those workers were furloughed during the shutdown, which resulted in Obama's much-lauded garden being overgrown with weeds, riddled with wildlife and vegetables rotting on the vine, according to Obama Foodorama, a popular White House food blog.

But President Obama signed legislation early Thursday morning night that reopened the government and brought federal workers back on the job.

The garden has more than 30 kinds of vegetables, including pumpkins, which can be harvested in time for Halloween.

The first lady started the garden in 2009 as part of her anti-obesity "Let's Move" campaign.

Produce from the garden feeds the first family and has also been used for state dinners and official events. Some produce is also donated to local food kitchens.