Agriculture + Lifestyle

First Lady Marty Kemp Helps Grow Georgia

Posted on September 25, 2019 12:00 AM

在马蒂·肯普搬进亚特兰大州长官邸之前, she admitted she wasn’t that great at growing a garden. Now, as she looks across her lush green lawn, 乔治亚州的第一夫人每天都在考虑该州的第一个行业.

“I’ve always wanted a garden,” she said. “我在家里试过几次，但发现我连西红柿都种不出来. 厨师斯坦利·西蒙和酒店员工正在教我如何种菜. 他们问我想在菜园里种什么，今年的菜园里种了各种各样的蔬菜.”

With the help of grounds crews, the onsite garden now yields cucumbers, butternut squash, yellow squash, broccoli, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, green beans, tomatoes and zucchini.

最近，马蒂提供了一个厨房之旅和花园漫步，沿着18英亩的土地. The “People’s House,” as she regularly refers to the mansion, is situated in the Tuxedo Park area, in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta. It’s an area far removed from her hometown of Athens, 她曾就读于克拉克中心高中和佐治亚大学. 

She and her husband, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, have known each other for almost their entire lives, as their families were close friends. 他们在她两岁的时候就认识了，但直到大学毕业才开始约会. Spending time together outdoors, enjoying nature and a laid-back lifestyle, the couple learned they shared an affinity for horses, fishing and tractors.

“我和布莱恩就是这样约会的，”马蒂笑着说.

Since their wedding 25 years ago, her love for farmers, 国家生产的动物和商品越来越强大. While raising three daughters – Jarrett, 露西和艾米·波特——肯普一家花了很多时间在该州各地的牲畜设施里, 与其他家庭分享时间，他们在同样的乡村环境中致力于抚养自己的孩子.

“我的一个目标是看到格鲁吉亚的农业得到更多的支持. Farmers have a lot on their shoulders,” she said.

In her role as First Lady, 马蒂当然有影响力，让农业成为人们关注的焦点, and is doing her part to promote all aspects of the industry. 这种影响始于她与丈夫的竞选活动.

“The ag community is so important to our family. Brian is an ag graduate, 我们的女儿露西想要跟随他的脚步进入农业科学或商业领域, which I think is wonderful. We are proud of her. 我们有一个小型企业的背景，肯定与农民和小企业主联系,” Marty said. “对我们来说，支持这一点和支持国家非常重要. In traveling all over the state during the campaign, we saw all aspects of it, and it reminds us that we have to support our famers.”

也许正是沿着竞选路线走过的道路激发了肯普夫妇最近的一项农业倡议——专注于使用乔治亚州种植的树木, 乔治亚州道路两旁和接待中心的灌木和鲜花.

“这将确保所有由交通部资助的项目都符合乔治亚州种植计划的标准,马蒂在宣布道路倡议的新闻发布会上说. “From Tennessee to Florida and Alabama to the Carolinas, 在格鲁吉亚旅行的人将会看到当地出产的植物和树木的真正自然之美.”

公路倡议是基于佐治亚种植计划, 它是由乔治亚州农业部赞助的，目的是通过把生产者聚集在一起来帮助我们的“农业经济”, processors, suppliers, distributors, retailers, agritourism and consumers in one powerful, statewide community,” according to the program’s website.

In addition to the state’s roadways becoming Georgia Grown, Marty has quite literally brought the idea home with her.

“布莱恩围绕着农业是我们最大的产业这一事实进行竞选，”她说. “我们在山核桃、桃子和蓝莓方面非常强大 ... 第一家庭支持这些产品和生产商是有道理的.”

In January, 她为议员的配偶举办了午宴，并宣布州长官邸将是乔治亚州的.

“The Kemp Family is proudly Georgia Grown, 所以我们很高兴能让这个品牌成为我们在州长官邸生活的中心部分,” she said in a statement. “通过与农业部和专员加里·布莱克合作, 我相信我们可以把佐治亚种植带到国际舞台上，并保持农业在我们州的顶级产业.”

In stressing connections to Georgia agriculture, 她深情地谈到了肯普一家与加里·布莱克及其妻子的关系, Lydia. 当布莱恩·肯普宣誓就任乔治亚州第83任州长时, Marty began working closely with the Blacks, and called their relationship “really special.”

 他说:“莉迪亚在州长竞选期间问我要不要把这幢大厦命名为‘佐治亚种植’,” Marty said. “I asked Lydia, ‘Why isn’t it already?’ I mean, it just makes sense. 我觉得整个豪宅应该以乔治亚州的产品为特色.”

That’s where Chef Simon comes in. 而州长官邸的花园是在2013年种植的, since moving in, Marty has worked with Simon and mansion staff to plan, 种植和优化今年的水果和蔬菜.

“When we arrived, I talked to Chef Simon, the house chef, 他做了功课，研究了乔治亚州种植和饲养的农产品. 他实际上帮助教育了我们所有人，让我们知道我们的州能提供什么，以及它有多美丽,” she said.

On all planned menus, 厨师做了周到的努力，要求在现场花园和温室种植的商品-包括肯普一家的饭菜, as well as special occasions, such as the January luncheon.

“我想把乔治亚州出产的产品带进我家,” she said, “but most importantly for all visitors.”

马蒂说，她坚信西蒙厨师的才能，并依赖于他的角色, along with staff member Kat Satterfield, to coordinate the planning of family and official events.

“Simon and his team knock it out of the park every time. They make us look good,” Kemp said with a smile, 指的是这个家庭的年龄，以及他们的腰围.

在新政府成立之初，肯普要求厨房工作人员为午餐准备沙拉和更少的份量.

“I asked that he not serve three- or four-course meals. I believe in saving where we can for our own needs, and if we are entertaining as part of a state function,” she said.

她希望豪宅的改变能激励其他格鲁吉亚人尽可能地生活在格鲁吉亚种植的地方, and that as the program grows, 这将成为肯普政府在全州范围内为当代和后代留下农业推广积极遗产的方式之一.

About creating a legacy, Marty said, “我希望还有很多其他的东西将成为我们的遗产, 但我希望宅邸里的乔治娅·格伦是其中之一, absolutely.”