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2525 N Avenue
National City, CA
619-434-4281
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Did you know you can make a gift of stock to support the garden and nutrition programs at Olivewood?
Email or call us to talk about the possibilities:
619-434-4281
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 Contact Us
Executive Director
Jen Nation
Interim Assistant Director
Claire Groebner
Gardens and Facilities Manager
Leonard Vargas
Director of Programs
Callie Brust
Coordinator of Volunteers and Outreach
Cristina Juarez
Rebecca Hershberger-Howat
Cooking for Salud Coordinator
Patty Corona
Schools Coordinator
Corrie Madueño
Administrative Assistant
Angelica Bastida
Community Outreach Assistant
Rocina Lizarraga
Garden Educator
Ethan Cole
Garden Staff
Reyna Rodriguez
Adan Teposte
Adam Guy
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Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center was created by the
International Community Foundation
to further its mission of ensuring healthy communities and healthy economies in the cross-border region.
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Board of Directors
Chair:
C
athe Burnham
Vice Chair: Trish Watlington
Treasurer: Jacqueline Reynoso
Secretary:
Evelyn Wiggins
Dennis Doyle, Ph.D.
Sabrina Falquier Montgrain, MD
Daisy Gordon Crompton
Anne McEnany
Susana Villegas
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Ent
One of our Kitchenistas is part of
WE Boutique
- an amazing project that gives women the opportunity to start their business venture.
Visit them Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 4305 University Avenue, Suite 130, San Diego CA 92105
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E
Olivewood Gardens is now a Humble Partner! Humble Bundle is a
leading retailer of digital games and eBooks. You can now support us with every purchase you make by using this link.
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June 2018
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A Note from Executive Director
Jen Nation
It is with deep gratitude that I introduce myself as the new Executive Director of Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center. I am humbled and honored to have been chosen to build on the current success of our programs and help create the next chapter at Olivewood. As you know, our mission is
to empower students and families from diverse backgrounds to be healthy and active citizens through organic gardening, environmental stewardship, and nutrition education.
Growing up in Iowa, I spent summers planting and harvesting fruits and vegetables from my family's garden. That experience helped shape my views around health, nutrition and environmental stewardship. I earned a BA in non-profit administration and have over 20 years' experience in the sector, most recently working at Girl Scouts San Diego.
To continue reading, click
here.
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Teaching Kitchen Campaign
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We are excited to announce that we are launching our Teaching Kitchen Campaign, in order to build a new hands-on kitchen for all! Our new teaching kitchen will ensure that we can reach even more community members with essential nutrition and healthy cooking education.
We invite you to help us build our new kitchen!
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Upcoming Events and Programs
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Chefcitos Cooking Class
June 25, 2018
July 23, 2018
Do you have a child who is interested in learning how to cook a healthy meal or snack? Sign them up for our Chefcitos Cooking Class!
The theme of this class is "Totally Tomatoes!" and is designed for elementary-aged children. Class participants will create and taste delicious recipes using garden-grown produce, and take these recipes home to share with their families. To register, click
here.
This class will be offered 4 times:
Monday, June 25, 2018
10:00am - 11:30am
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Monday, July 23, 2018
10:00am - 11:00am
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Cost: $15 per child, $10 for National City residents
*Please note that each class will cover the same material. We kindly request that you register your child for ONE class. If you have any questions, please email
corrie@olivewoodgardens.org.
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July 14, 2018
10:00am to 1:00pm
The 2018 Day of Play is just around the corner! Join us for a day of healthy food, fun, and prizes in our beautiful gardens.
Thank you to our
Title Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
 and
Activity Sponsor
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Open House & Produce Stand
Visit our beautiful gardens, historic Victorian home, and learn about our programs! Fresh produce will be available at our new produce stand.
June 23rd, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Tours start at 10:15am and 12:00pm.
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Gardening Workshop:
Pollinators & Other Beneficial Insects
Come out to the gardens to learn about how to incorporate pollinators and other beneficial insects in your own garden.
June 23rd, 9:00am-11:00am
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| Congratulations to our Sweetwater High School Interns who graduated from our Garden-to-Kitchen pilot internship program. |
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| Families from San Ysidro Health came to the gardens for a field trip to learn about eating healthy and gardening. |
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This little girl learned about red flowers and fruits in our "rainbow" Mommy and Me class!
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The Kitchenistas continue to be active in improving community and personal health through their monthly meetings, recipe sharing classes, school wellness presentations and Emotional Freedom Training. We are so inspired by their passion for health and wellness!
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We debuted our new outdoor kitchen space that was custom-made by our Gardens and Facilities Manager, Leonard Vargas. We have enjoyed cooking and eating outside in the gardens!
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Volunteer
Looking for a fun way to help our community become healthier? Why not volunteer with Olivewood Gardens? We have a role for you!
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SDG&E Tips
- Purchase a smart thermostat and get an instant in-store $75 rebate. Learn more here.
- Find out if your family qualifies for free energy-saving appliances by clicking here.
- SDG&E's high use charge is now in effect. Get customized SDG&E alerts by email, text or both. Click here to learn more.
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Growing in the Garden
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Our gardens are bountiful this time of year! Recent harvests have included sunflowers, squash, and basil. We also are growing oats!
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Marinated Summer Squash and Chickpea Salad
Adapted from Kalyn Cooks
2 cups chickpeas, rinsed well and drained
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
5 T olive oil
1 1/2 lb. thinly sliced summer squash, about 3-4 squash
1 T coarse ground kosher salt or sea salt (be sure it's coarse ground salt)
1 cup chopped fresh herbs (mint, basil, parsley, etc.)
1/2 cup sliced cherry or grape tomatoes
fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and 5 tablespoons of olive oil into a small bowl.
2. Add chickpeas and 2 tablespoons of the dressing into a bowl to marinate.
3.
Layer 1/3 of squash in colander, sprinkle with 1 tsp. coarse ground salt, then repeat with two more layers. Put the colander in the sink until all the water is released from the squash
, about 10-15 minutes. Place squash between 2 layers of paper towels and press until any remaining water is absorbed
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4. Add the squash and 3 tablespoons of dressing to the to the marinated chickpeas. Ma
rinate 1-2 hours at room temperature.
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When you're ready to serve the salad, chop 1 cup fresh herbs of your choice. Toss salad with the rest of the dressing (or as much as you need for salad to be well coated with dressing), mix in chopped fresh herbs, and season with fresh ground black pepper. Enjoy!
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