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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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Olivewood Wishlist
Looking for a home for a garden or household item you no longer have use for? Check out our Wishlist...we might be able to take it off your hands!
- 10 - 20 folding chairs
- 10 - 20 wooden farm-style chairs
- 10 wooden farm-style tables
- Small cast iron garden table
- Bulletin board
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 Contact Us
Executive Director
Jen Nation
Gardens and Facilities Manager
Leonard Vargas
Director of Development
Claire Groebner
Director of Programs
Callie Brust
Rebecca Hershberger-Howat
Cooking for Salud Coordinator
Patty Corona
Schools Coordinator
Angelica Gastelum
Volunteer Coordinator
Jacqueline Ante
Administrative Assistant
Angelica Bastida
Community Outreach Assistant
Rocina Lizarraga
Garden Educator
Ethan Cole
Garden Staff
Reyna Rodriguez
Adan Teposte
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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
Stephanie Jensen
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 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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April 2019
Spring has officially sprung and there is nowhere more beautiful to see the results of winter rain than in the garden. We've graduated our 15th class of Cooking for Salud, meaning we have 220 official 'Kitchenistas.' Our Garden to Kitchen (G2K) high school internship is heating up, as 17 students work towards their final project of a 'chopped' style cooking competition, complete with secret ingredients from their garden projects. This eight-week leadership program focuses on combining agriculture practices with practical life and job skills training. And, ten of the students are either past participants of our Children's Field Trip program or have a mom who is a Kitchenista!
Finally, we are wrapping up our roadmap for the next three years to expand our programs and deepen our relationship with the community in National City. Exciting things to come, and they can't happen without all of you! Thank you for your ongoing support and stay tuned... the best is yet to come!
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Upcoming Events and Programs
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Twilight Lounge Cocktails & Appetizers, 5PM - 7PM: $50
Chef's Culinary Feast (includes Twilight Lounge), 5PM - 9PM: $200
Tickets purchased by May 1st include 10% off a future Olivewood program
For underwriting and table sponsorship opportunities, please contact
Claire.
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Taco Tuesday Cooking Class
Join us for a fun and tasty evening harvesting in the garden, preparing delicious tacos, and enjoying a delicious feast. Take veggies home to recreate the recipes of the day!
April 9, 6PM - 9PM
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Mother's Day Tea
Come to the gardens for a day of fun, tea party-related activities and crafts all to show our love and appreciation for all the things that moms do! Participants will learn ways to create scrumptious snacks to recreate your own tea party at home!
May 11, 11:30AM - 1:30PM
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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.
April 27, 9:30AM - 11AM
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Gardening Workshop: Integrated Disease and Pest Control
Our garden experts will lead you through the basics of protecting your garden from pests and diseases.
April 20, 9:00am-11:00am
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Garden Explorers - Petal Power
Students will learn the important role flowers play in our garden , make a flower-themed craft, and eat a flower snack.
April 27, 10AM - 12PM
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Cultivating Conversation
Join us for a delicious and enjoyable al fresco evening at the Gardens. We'll feature a local chef and restaurant showcasing Olivewood's garden bounty.
Spring Date TBD |
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Program Spotlight
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G2K High School Internship Program 
We have 17 high school students participating in this year's Garden 2 Kitchen high school internship. Students learn culinary and garden skills they can use as tools in shaping a healthy lifestyle. These students have loved harvesting vegetables like cabbage and broccoli and taking them into the kitchen to make healthy stir-fry rice. Pictured here is one of our students, Nicolas, with our Kitchenista educator, Rosa. |
Field Trip Program 
Our National School District fourth graders are visiting our garden for the third time this school year throughout the Spring. Guess what they'll see and taste when they come... Romaine Lettuce that will soon be on their salad bar at school! Our team is hard at work growing this tasty veggie for our fourth-grade friends. Lettuce celebrate locally grown produce! |
In the Community
- Bonita Family Resource Center - Youth and Adult Working Together: Saturday, April 13, 2019, 12:00 to 3:00 PM @ the Chula Vista Civic Center Library
- National City Community Service Day - Saturday, April 27, 9AM - 1PM_
- Select the park you would like to volunteer at by using the following activity numbers: Kimball Park - #5039 or El Toyon Park - #5038
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Intern Spotlight
Meet our Social Media and Marketing intern, Taylor Garcia! Taylor began as a Nutrition Intern in the Summer of 2018. She helped lead our kitchen rotation during field trips, created beautiful nutrition handouts for our students to learn, and supported our cooking programs all around! In an order to learn more about non-profits, Taylor applied for and was selected to our Social Media and Marketing internship. Taylor is the face behind many of our photos you see on Facebook and Instagram. Thanks Taylor for all you do for Olivewood Gardens!
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Internships at Olivewood Gardens
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Interns are an essential part of Olivewood's Family! Join our team and gain experience in a non-profit setting and in program planning and facilitation. You can also get class credit, when applicable.
For more information, click
here.
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Volunteer at Olivewood
Looking for a fun way to help our community become healthier? Why not volunteer with Olivewood Gardens? We have a role for you!
For more information on volunteering, click here.
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SDG&E Tips
- Important Info from SDG&E: Residential customers are being switched to Time-of-Use pricing plans. Prices are lower all day except between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m
- Drive an all-electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle? Find out if you qualify for SDG&E's bill credit.
- Find out if you are eligible for SDG&E"s SHARE Program savings.
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There is a riot of color at the gardens these days. Flowers and veggies alike are abundant and beautiful. The peach and pluot trees are in full bloom. We are continuing to grow winter and spring veggies like cabbage, cilantro, green onions, lettuce, and sweet peas, but are also beginning some summer starts of tomatoes! Come check the gardens out during our Thursday 10AM tours or at a Saturday open house.
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A Buddha bowl or bowl is usually a vegetarian or vegan meal served in a bowl or a high rimmed plate. The essence of the bowl is balance between grains, fruits and veggies, and a protein, which together make a complete one-bowl meal or snack. A bowl is less a standard recipe than a formula that you can experiment with and make your own by following these basic four steps:
1) Start with a whole grain -brown rice, quinoa, whole grain pasta, farro, or whatever grain suits your mood. 1/3 of your bowl should grains.
2) Now, add your veggies! 1/3 of your bowl should be veggies - raw, roasted, steamed, or grilled, don't be shy about trying new tastes.
3) Add a protein! Go meat free and add beans, tofu, or tempeh, or you can add a healthy lean protein like grilled chicken or fish if you are feeling it. There is no Buddha Bowl Police. You can make it your own perfect one-bowl meal.
4) Add a sauce to bring it all together - healthy vinaigrette, a light salad dressing, or even bbq sauce. Remember, this is your adventure, and you are the captain of your own bowl. Have fun, be healthy, and try new things.
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