FARM-to- PICNIC BLANKET
A Couples Cooking Class
Saturday, February 14th,
11-1pm or 12-2pm
Join us for a unique culinary experience in our beautiful spring garden!
Activities include:
* Take a guided tour of the garden and harvest herbs and veggies together!
* Learn new cooking techniques with Chef
Christina Ng who will show you how to make tasty tapas and homemade soda!
* Enjoy a private picnic in the garden sunshine!
Date: Saturday, February 14, 2015
Time: 11:00-1:00pm OR 12:00-2:00pm
Cost: $45/person
RSVP: 619-434-4281
Location: Olivewood Gardens,
2525 N Ave, National City, 91950
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GARDENING CLASS:
Feeding Your Soil to Feed Your Garden (and Yourself!)
Saturday, January 24th, 9-12pm
Got the San Diego Soil Blues?
Our team of experts can help you to sing a new tune!
Class includes building garden beds by double digging and amending soil using compost.
This is site-based garden education and hands-on volunteer work so come ready to get your hands dirty and learn by doing!
Date: Saturday, 1/24
Time: 9am to 12pm
Location: Olivewood Gardens
2525 'N' Avenue, National City, CA 91950
Register at
http://olivewoodgardens.org/gardening-classes/
or contact Ally Welborn at
[email protected] or (619) 434-4281
Suggested Donation: $20
National City residents FREE
Students must be at least 15 years old to attend.
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Chef Carlos loved cooking with our 3rd graders in November so much, he returned to cook with sixth graders from High Tech Middle School in December!
Since we still had a surplus of cauliflower growing in the garden, Chef Carlos chose to make a fresh and zingy Cauliflower Ceviche!
First, students chopped green, yellow and white cauliflower into bite size pieces and then blanched it for one minute before submerging it in an ice bath.
Meanwhile, other students were busy dicing red onion, mincing garlic, slicing cucumbers, tearing cilantro and squeezing limes.
Then, Chef Carlos mixed the cauliflower, onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice and some spices together and served with fresh slices of cucumber and a few tortilla chips.
This dish was so light and refreshing, especially with the 'cucumber chips'! We also love this recipe because it uses so many seasonal veggies!
Thank you so much for everything Chef Carlos! We hope to see you in the kitchen again soon!
For the complete recipe, please click:
Chef Carlos with students from High Tech Middle
North County
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Kitchen Intern Project
Our Kitchen Intern Corey created an interactive lesson to teach community members how to make a healthy snack using 'brain foods' for the first Farmers' Market at Granger Junior High School!
 
 
Children and families were able to make their own Brain Power Parfaits, choosing from raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, Greek yogurt, toasted pumpkin seeds, and granola.
All of these ingredients can help boost our brain power in various ways! Greek yogurt increases mental alertness; berries improve blood flow to the brain; pumpkin seeds have a calming effect on the brain (due to magnesium); and, whole grains (granola) can boost energy while enhancing focus and memory.
The parfaits were not only nutritious but they were also delicious! Congratulations Corey!
Kitchen Intern Corey at the first Farmers' Market at Granger Junior High
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GROWING IN THE GARDEN...
The garden is starting to get busy again thanks to our hardworking garden team and all of the rain we have been receiving during the past few weeks!
We currently have romanesco cauliflower, leeks, beets, kale, chard, fennel, shelling peas, carrots, celery, bok choy, pomelo grapefruits, tangerines, navel oranges, meyer lemons, limes, cilantro and parsley growing!
Fortunately, we have had a surplus of tangerines and they are so sweet and delicious... a great example of nature's candy!
Here are a couple of recipes with tangerines:
If you have any recipes with tangerines that you would like to share, please feel free to email [email protected].
We love hearing your creative ideas!
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GUEST CHEFS, KITCHEN VOLUNTEERS AND INTERNS!
All of us at Olivewood Gardens appreciate
your valuable time, hard work, and fabulous energy!
Our program would not be successful without you!!
Please share with us your ideas, your recipes,
and any stories that you may have from your visits
at Olivewood... the children do say
some of the most amazing things!
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HELP KEEP US COOKING!
Please check out the Olivewood Gardens Wish List on Amazon or you can make a direct donation by clicking here: DONATE NOW
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FEATURED ITEM:
These towels absorb so much water
they are perfect for drying dishes during a busy field trip or cooking class!
You can purchase them directly by clicking HERE or make a donation of $18.99 or more HERE! |
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A special thank you to Specialty Produce continuously donates produce for our children's field trip program, community events and Cooking for Salud! program. Thank you so much for your support and generosity! |
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FOOD and FARM FAMILY FUN DAY!
Learn, grow and cook together!
Saturday, February 28th,
10-12pm
Take a family outing to beautiful Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center to explore the connections between food, health, and a healthy planet. Participate in hands-on cooking, gardening, and educational activities as a family.
Start the conversation- where does your food come from, and what makes a food healthy?
See the whole "farm to table" process unfold
before you.
Who: Families with children ages 3+
When: Saturday, 2/28; 10am-12pm
Where: Olivewood Gardens & Learning Center
2525 N Avenue, National City, CA 91950
Cost: $15/person
To register: Contact Diana Bergman at
Space is limited.
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VOLUNTEER POTLUCK!
Bring your friends and family to share an afternoon meal on the Noyes House lawn! 
Saturday, January 24th, 1-3pm
Please bring a healthy, vegetarian dish to share! You may also want to bring your own plate, cup and utensils to help reduce waste.
You're welcome to join us beforehand for a Gardening Class (9-12pm) or for an Open House (10-1pm with property tours at 10:15 and 12:15).
Location: Olivewood Gardens
2525 N Ave, National City, CA 91950
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OPEN HOUSE
Saturday, January 24th &
Saturday, February 21st
10am-1pm
Guided Tours:
10:15 am and 12:15 pm
Learn about our historic roots,
current gardening practices, and plans to impact the future of National City. Tours include two large garden areas and a peek inside the Noyes house.
Location: Olivewood Gardens & Learning Center
2525 N Avenue, National City, CA 91950
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DECEMBER REPORT: Rainbow Wraps with
Greek Yogurt Sauce
Kitchen Intern Krysta presented her final project, a lesson on rainbow nutrition!
This lesson included important nutrition facts, including the benefits of eating the rainbow and how vitamins and minerals help our bodies to grow healthy and strong, and a homemade recipe for Rainbow Wraps with Greek Yogurt Sauce.
This recipe was such a hit with our fourth grade students from Olivewood Elementary on December 2nd that we decided to use it for all of our fourth grade classes for the whole month!
Congratulations Krysta!
   
 
First, Krysta and the students made the Greek Yogurt Sauce together, mixing yogurt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and chives together. While the sauce was chilling in the refrigerator, the students started on the veggie wraps.
Some students sliced cherry tomatoes, carrots, and cucumbers, while others diced purple onions, tore spinach, picked cilantro leaves off the stem, shredded cheese, and removed corn kernels from the cob. All of the veggies were mixed together while the cheese was melted on whole wheat flour tortillas.
Once the tortillas were warm, we added the veggie mixture and students practiced rolling their wraps! With a little Greek Yogurt Sauce on the side for dipping, these wraps were not only delicious but very addicting! There were many requests for seconds!
For the complete recipe, please visit:
To learn more about our field trip programs,
please contact Program Director Diana Bergman at
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NOW RECRUITING
FOR SPRING 2015!
Volunteer Kitchen Instructor 
Want to have some fun in the kitchen while teaching children?
We'd love to have your help!
Olivewood Gardens is seeking volunteer leaders interested in teaching students how to prepare healthy, seasonal recipes from scratch.
Volunteer Kitchen Instructors will be responsible for kitchen set-up and clean-up; presenting rules, ingredients, and recipe steps; and managing Volunteer Kitchen Assistants.
Interested volunteers will receive training, including lesson practice, and will have the opportunity to review all lesson plans in advance.
Depending on availability and personal preference, Kitchen Instructors may volunteer on an on-going or on-call basis.
For more information, please contact Ally at
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What will you make with your
FARMERS'
MARKET BOX? 
Olivewood Gardens is a pick-up location for the Specialty Produce Farmers' Market Bag (FMB) and Juicing Bags!
These weekly FMB and Juicing Bags consist of local,
organic and sustainably-sourced produce from over a
dozen farms each week.
In addition to fruits and vegetables, you can add
fresh fish, coffee, jams, chocolate, cheese, eggs, avocado oil, bread and more!
An added bonus is that you are not obligated to order
every week; you can control the frequency of your ordering. Specialty Produce generously donates $2 of
every FMB purchase to Olivewood Gardens!
Orders are available for pick-up on
Thursdays, between 9-4, at Olivewood Gardens.
Would you like to participate in the program and support Olivewood Gardens but prefer to pick up your produce at the Specialty Produce warehouse?
Well, now you can!
Please email Kati for the proper code!
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Did you know...
that the International Community Foundation is the parent organization of Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center?!? The house, gardens, and property were donated to the Foundation by the Walton family in 2006. Olivewood Gardens was then created in 2009 by the International Community Foundation, as a Type 1 supporting organization. For more information about the International Community Foundation, check out www.icfdn.org.
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Contact Information
Please feel free to contact me!
Olivewood Gardens
(619) 434-4281
2525 N Avenue
National City, CA 91950
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