Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center located in National City is celebrating its 10th year of operation. With nearly eight acres of land, its centerpiece, is a Princess Anne Victorian home. With a neighborhood background, Olivewood has a Thursday produce stand to provide fresh produce for the community. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the stand served around 10 people a week. Shortly after stay-at-home orders, the stand started providing for more than 60 families a week.
Executive Director Jen Nation said 90 percent of what Olivewood grows goes directly to the program, but its Thursday produce stand has helped local families in need.
“That’s us giving back to the community because we have the produce available,” Nation said. “We are kind of at our max right now [due to COVID-19]. We are serving around 60 families weekly. And we are trying to expand that capacity. We were fortunate to receive some funding, so we’ve been able to shift, get more seeds to expand our capacity to be able to grow more.”
“Our mission is to inspire children and adults to be healthy and active citizens through organic gardening, environmental stewardship and nutrition education,” said Nation. “Usually we do all of these things through hands-on programs. We have an awesome outside space and an amazing kitchen.”
Jeni Barajas, Olivewood’s environmental specialist, said before COVID-19, they had a steady stream of customers that would peak a little during the holidays and at the beginning of the year.
“About 70 percent of the families we are serving now are returning every week,” said Barajas. “They come back because they know they can rely on our garden bags. It’s been really nice getting to know the community, and it’s becoming a more familiar and casual experience. For people to be able to come and get fresh food right here in their neighborhood, it’s been a blessing for them. People locally are thankful, and we are receiving a lot of good wishes and blessing from the people we serve. That’s really heartwarming for us.”
Barajas said it has now focused all its attention on providing food for the community. In its first week people started lining up an hour before its 10 a.m. opening. “Now, it’s a steady stream of people,” she said.
Barajas said they are moving from cool season to warm season crops now, growing food on about half of the property. She said they moved to fast growing produce, planting zucchini, summer squashes, tomatillos, bell peppers, Italian frying peppers, cucumbers, many varieties of greens.
“We found ourselves really prioritizing what we are putting into the ground based on high nutrition value and a quick harvest,” said Barajas. “At the produce stand we’ve partnered with Healthy Day Partners who are providing grab and go gardens. People come and pick up their produce and have access to seedlings that they can take home and plant their own garden.”
Nation said Olivewood holds regular classes, a Children’s Field Trip Program tied to next generations science standards and Common Core curriculum.
“Students come throughout the year to do different field trips that connect what is growing in the garden to nutritional education.”
