Werth to be in gallery at State of the Union address

When the television cameras pan the crowd at tomorrow night's State of the Union address by President Donald J. Trump, don't be surprised if you see a certain bearded former Nationals outfielder who's more than a little legendary in these parts.

And the reason for his invitation to sit in the gallery at the once-a-year speech has nothing at all to do with his baseball career.

According to Roll Call, Jayson Werth will be at U.S. Capitol on Tuesday night, a guest of Rep. Rodney Davis, an Illinois Republican.

So how does Werth, who still doesn't know if or where he's playing in 2018, rate an invitation to the State of the Union, where the bulk of this year's guest list focuses on connections to issues like immigration, sexual assault and harassment, and the recent tax overhaul?

In 2009, Werth started an organic farm near Springfield, Ill., which has grown to nearly 500 acres, according to this story that appeared in the Chicago Tribune during the National League Division Series when the Nats battled the Cubs.

The farm is a part of Werth and wife Julia's commitment to eat a healthier diet, which eliminated eating gluten and dairy, eating organic produce and grass-fed meat, and hiring a chef to fix his meals when the Nats were on the road. Werth's faming philosophy includes eliminating artificial pesticides and hormones, and the 15-year major leaguer has become well-versed in tilling and cultivation of crops of corn and soybeans.

In May, Werth gave a speech to the Organic Trade Association's 2017 Policy Conference held in Washington, D.C., detailing his diet, lifestyle and how he became interested in farming.

Werth expects to become more invested in organic farming once his baseball career ends. His seven-year, $126 million contract with the Nationals ended with the Nats' NLDS loss to the Cubs.