Hello Friend,
While the days are getting shorter and the weather cooler, things at Olivewood are heating up! We were so excited to welcome our first field trip participants and first Cooking for Salud® cohort back to the garden. Students investigated our compost piles and created a healthy yogurt parfait, complete with no-bake granola. Our Cooking for Salud participants settled in with a garden tour and lesson on ‘rethink your drink’ and left with recipes and supplies to make their own almond milk. It’s hard to believe that since 2012 we’ve completed 20 generations of this life-changing program, which has supported 300 Kitchenistas®.
October is Filipino American History Month, which recognizes and honors the enduring contributions, culture, and importance of Filipino Americans. Olivewood is grateful for the Filipino community, and honor the folx who share their knowledge, experiences, skills, and traditions with all of us.
We also want to thank Blue Shield of California and their generous, unrestricted gift to ensure we can continue to provide access, education, and advocacy programs in our community.
We look forward to seeing you in the gardens soon!
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Thank you for making our work possible,
Jen Nation, Executive Director of Olivewood Gardens & Learning Center
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A small business-owner from Chula Vista and the mother to a family of four, Aureny Aranda has overcome financial and personal difficulties during a pandemic, emerging stronger and more successful than ever. |
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"The Kitchenistas" screening and panel for UCSD's Inaugural Latinx Heritage Month celebration |
Monday, October 18, 2021 at 6:00 p.m.
The Kitchenistas are a passionate group of women from National City advocating for healthy food traditions to change communities and transform lives in San Diego.
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Inaugural Gathering for SD Food Vision 2030 |
Friday, October 22
The first ever Annual Gathering for San Diego County Food Vision 2030 is taking place this fall! This all-day, outdoor event features inspirational speakers, interactive sessions, open space for dialogue and networking, and local food.
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Wednesday, October 27, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
We're excited to launch our Olivewood Gardens High School Clubhouse! This month, students will make pizzas, carve pumpkins, spend time in the gardens, and build community. Register yourself or your high schooler today!
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Saturday, November 13,10am - 11am
It’s the most delicious time of year! So, let’s get together and cook some of our favorite holiday treats. We’ll be making warm apple crisps with a healthy spin and other seasonal goodies to bring in holiday cheer. Chefcitos will chop, blend, and season their own creations while learning how to make holiday goodies healthier.
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Curated Charcuterie Cones |
Saturday, November 13, 3;00pm - 5:00pm
Join our charcuterie extraordinaire Ellyse for this fun, hands-on program. You'll learn how to make DIY charcuterie cones and more for your next outdoor gathering.
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Quarterly Lunch & Learn with Executive Director Jen Nation |
Tuesday, November 23, 12pm - 1PM
Join our Executive Director, Jen Nation for a virtual walking tour of Olivewood Gardens and a sit-down Q & A for an opportunity to learn more about the in's and out's of our programs!
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The Kitchenistas' screening and panel @ Fleet Science Center - Save the Date! |
Wednesday, December 8, 6:00PM
Tickets: $10. Admission free for National City residents and Kitchenistas
Tickets coming soon...
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This month, Olivewood Gardens in partnership with the Fleet Science Center, South Bay Sustainable Communities, the Thriving Earth Exchange, and the Association Of Science & Technology Centers launched a 5-session training called "Thriving Earth Exchange-Kitchenistas: Recycling Organics Program", benefiting 21 Kitchenistas with interactive hands-on composting training. The Kitchenista group has been learning different ways of composting and all the great benefits that come with it. Thanks to this program, Kitchenistas have been inspired to start their own compost at home, others like Virginia - a Kitchenista from the 8th Generation - decided to go bigger. She's invited her neighbors to start a neighborhood composting program with the help of SBSC!
We want to give a special shoutout to Olivewood staff member and Kitchenista Angelica Gastelum and Yanet Lopez of the Fleet Science Center who have developed and coordinated the program; Tina Matthias from South Bay Sustainable Communities, Janice Luna Reynoso from Mundo Gardens, and Olivewood's very own Leonard Vargas who have shared their time and expertise as educators, and the wonderful participating Kitchenistas who are always hungry to learn and lead!
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Olivewood Gardens Internships |
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Are you a college student looking to get hands-on experience in sustainable urban agriculture, nutrition education, or community-centric marketing? Are you a high school student excited about giving back to your community while gaining job and life skills? Are you a passionate community member hoping to get involved with a community of support focused on health equity and food justice? Are you part of a network looking to share your skills and talents with a local nonprofit? Then we've got something for you! Check out our volunteer and internship opportunities (more to come) and sign up to volunteer today!
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Recipe of the Month: Herbed Marinated Mushrooms |
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Photo credit: Stacy Gustin Photography
Ingredients
Herbed Marinated Mushrooms
Ingredients for Mushrooms
1 lb. wild mushroom mix (any mushrooms will work)
¼ cup Olive oil + 2 TBSP
¼ cup water
2 TBSP white wine vinegar - can substitute champagne, red wine, or rice wine vinegar
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 sprigs fresh Thyme*
1 Bay leaf
1 tsp black peppercorns
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
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Directions for Mushrooms
1. Wipe mushrooms clean with damp paper towels. Trim stems if necessary. Roughly chop the mushrooms and set them aside. Mince 2 cloves garlic, strip 1 spring of thyme.
2. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add minced garlic, mushrooms, stripped fresh thyme leaves, and sauté over medium-low heat until tender. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Place the remaining oil, water, 2 cloves minced garlic, whole herbs, red pepper flakes, black peppercorns, and salt in a sauté pan.
4. Simmer for 5 minutes. Pour over the mushrooms in the bowl. Stir in the vinegar and let mushrooms cool in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight if desired, bring to room temperature before serving.
5. To serve, remove mushrooms from the marinade with a slotted spoon. Place a heaping tablespoon of mushrooms on a slice of fresh bread after slathering with roasted garlic, finish with sea salt.
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Save the Date: Olivewood's 2021 Holiday Bazaar! |
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Save the Date! Olivewood's 2nd annual Holiday Bazaar is scheduled for Saturday, November 20th.
This is your chance to purchase a gift or two or treat yourself, to unique handmade items from our Kitchenistas and community partner vendors. This event will be in person at Olivewood and we can't wait to see you all there!
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Claire Groebner, Olivewood’s Director of Development, was recently named to the ‘40 under 40’ list by San Diego Metro Magazine. Claire has been at Olivewood for seven years and continues to bring her community-mindedness, creativity, and passion to her role. Claire is a fierce advocate for social justice, health equity, and environmental justice, and is committed to working in partnership with community members to create sustainable change. Congratulations Claire! Check out this feature in the Star News to learn more!
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If you love environmental science, gardening and working with youth, we have the job for you! Olivewood is hiring a part-time Environmental Education Specialist.
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Are you on the right pricing plan for your lifestyle? Being on the best pricing plan can add up to real savings on your energy bill, especially if you can shift your energy use to before 4 p.m. or after 9 p.m. Learn more at sdge.com/pricing. #sdge #SDGEassist |
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