August 2022
Hello Friend,


As we transition into fall, we are excited to welcome students back to Olivewood and in elementary school sites for our youth programs. Over the summer, the team prepared by updating curriculum and lessons, reinvigorating school gardens, planning activities, and connecting with partners and volunteers to ensure the highest quality programs. Meanwhile, our 24th generation of Cooking for Salud® is underway, with 21 eager participants. Kitchenistas® have been planning and leading the sessions and the group is ready to celebrate at their upcoming graduation.

Olivewood has been extremely fortunate to have the support of dedicated volunteers, community members, and supporters which allows us the opportunity to be creative, responsive, and strategic in building and implementing our programs. As we continue to grow and evolve, it's critical that we dig deep into community, food systems work, and food access and education. We have recently received good news regarding funding that will allow us to continue to weave our programs together, thus increasing the impact for our community. We are grateful for support from the San Diego Foundation Opening the Outdoors program, Women Give San Diego, Sprouts Foundation, USDA Farm to School program, and the UCSD Center for Community Health Advancing Health Literacy program.


We hope you'll sign up for one of our upcoming classes, visit us at an Open Garden, or bring your friends or staff team to Olivewood for a fun teambuilding cooking or gardening activity.

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

With gratitude,

Jen Nation, Executive Director of Olivewood Gardens & Learning Center
Upcoming Events
Lunch & Learn
Friday, September 9
12PM - 1:30PM

Join Olivewood staff for an in-person walking tour of the Gardens and a sit-down Q&A opportunity to learn more about the ins and outs of our programs! A snack of hummus & veggies will be provided.
Chefcitos: Rice & Rolls!
Saturday, September 10
1PM - 2:30PM

In this month's class, we'll be making delicious Veggie-filled Fried Rice & Fresh Spring Rolls with a Homemade Peanut Sauce for dipping! Chefcitos (ages 5-14) will be chopping, mixing, and dipping to create delicious recipes they can share with their families!
Rice & Rolls Adult Cooking Class
Saturday, September 17th
3:30PM - 5:30PM

We'll be making delicious Veggie-filled Fried Rice and Fresh Spring Rolls with a Homemade Peanut Sauce for dipping. Learn the same recipes as your Chefcitos to create healthy and delicious meals at home!
Garden Explorers: All About Bugs!
Saturday, September 24
9AM - 11AM

We are excited to welcome back this special program where Garden Explorers (grades K-5) will be learning more about the creatures that do so much in the garden! Don't miss out on hands-on activities, and time exploring and engaging in the beautiful outdoor garden!
Chefcitos: Make Your Own Gnocchi!
Saturday, October 8
10AM - 11:30AM

Join us in October, where Chefcitos will be making Gnocchi from scratch & creating a delicious dish with fresh garden vegetables. We'll also make seasonal chocolate chip pumpkin bread.
Celebrating Cultura con The Kitchenistas!
Friday, October 21
6:30PM - 8:30PM

Join us at Olivewood for a special evening celebrating Latinx/Hispanic heritage, sponsored by Maker's Mark! In honor of the Kitchenistas, we will celebrate culture with an evening of dinner catered by Chef Aureny Aranda, drinks curated by Maker's Mark & a special Q&A with some of Olivewood's respected Kitchenistas.
Garden Explorers: How Does Your Garden Grow?
Saturday, October 22
9AM - 11AM

Join us in October where Garden Explorers will be learning how to help plants and flowers grow through hands-on activities in our beautiful outdoor garden!
Learn to Make Kombucha!
Saturday, October 22
3:30PM - 5:30PM

Have you ever wondered how to make your own kombucha at home? It's really simple and we would love to show you! Kombucha is a tasty, fermented tea beverage that has some pretty cool gut health benefits. Join us to learn how to brew your own. You'll leave with your very own SCOBY, jar, swing-top bottle & supplies to make your first batch!
Staff Updates
We are so pleased to share some exciting staffing updates at Olivewood! As an organization that is committed to offering professional and personal growth opportunities for our staff and community, we have a few staff shifting into new roles; as well as new staff members to introduce! Please join us in congratulating the following staff for moving into new roles:
  • Angelica Gastelum - Marketing Manager
  • Jeni Barajas - Director of Youth Programs
  • Kelsey Pennington - Youth Program Coordinator
  • Monica Lim - Kitchenista® Program Coordinator
  • Claire Groebner - Associate Director
  • Sarah Suarez - Volunteer Coordinator
The following staff will be moving from part-time to full-time roles:
  • Morgan Harris - Nutrition Education Specialist

And, please give a warm welcome to Paola Orjuela as Olivewood's Accounting Coordinator and newest team member! We have more open positions available and updates to come, and encourage you to take a look and share widely with your networks!
Volunteer & Internship Opportunities
National School District (NSD) field trips & school-based lessons are back in full swing and we are looking for passionate volunteers interested in working with you! We have both volunteer & internship opportunities available for these programs, and many more!

Check out the position descriptions below and register to join us!
At Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center, our natural environment is our teacher. Roots, are the lifeline of a plant, taking up air, water, and nutrients from the soil to support the livelihood of precious ecosystems.

Join our monthly giving program to become a root, inspiring healthy and active lives through organic gardening, environmental stewardship, and nutrition education!
Marinated Portobello & Onion Tacos
Ingredients
  • 5 Portobello mushroom caps, cleaned, stemmed & sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup tamari
  • 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp chipotle powder
  • salt & pepper, to taste
Directions
  1. Mix all vinegar, tamari & spices together and toss Portobello slices in marinade until completely coated.
  2. Let sit for 30 minutes or more, stirring occassionally.
  3. Coat a pan or stove-top grill with olive oil. Place marinated Portobello slices on pan and let sit until they begin to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Flip and repeat.
  4. Using the same pan, toss olive oil and onion and cook until browned on edges. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant.
  5. Mix with mushrooms & serve with your favorite salsa (Molcajete Salsa) and guacamole!
SDG&E Tips: Power Saver Rewards Program
Keep your home cool and save energy with the Power Saver Rewards Program

Have you heard of SDG&E's Power Saver Rewards Program? It's a new program that pays participants to conserve energy when the grid is stresses. And the best part is that the more energy you conserve, the more you can earn. So how does it work? Those who are eligible and able to reduce their electricity use between the peak hours of 4PM and 9PM when a Power Saver Event is called, can help relieve the grid and make it stronger, in addition to receiving a bill credit. It's a win-win!

This summer, as energy demand increases, participate in the program and help prevent outages with some simples steps. You can start by closing your curtains during the day to block the sun's heat. Using solar shade screen, reflective films, awnings or even trees can make a big difference and help limit your AC usage. You can also keep your home cool by opening windows early in the morning or at night to let fresh air in.

To learn more about SDG&E's Power Saver Rewards Program, visit sdge.com/powersaver or call the Power Saver Rewards Program Call Center at (866)291-9516.