Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeanne Bauer and Kelly Wood.
At one time, many years ago, a gas station was located on the corner of Navajo Rd. and Cowles Mtn. Blvd. in the San Carlos area of San Diego next to the Fire Station and across from San Carlos United Methodist Church. When the station was closed, a group from the church approached the owner of the property and asked for permission to use the property as a space for a community garden, a place where members of the community could get to know one another while experiencing the benefits of growing their own food. The oil company turned down the suggestion. Over the next 20+ years, the property was sold again and again.
The church repeatedly sent a delegation to subsequent owners with the same request and always received the same response.
In 2011, Associate Pastor Brent Ross and members Jeanne Bauer and Kelly Wood met to resurrect the idea one more time. A plan was made to approach the current owner or owners and convince them that a community garden would be a benefit for all. As the final planning and strategy meeting concluded, the committee of three worried that the results would be the same as all of the past meetings – a decisive “No!” If so, could there possibly be another option that had never been considered?
The previous year, San Carlos UMC had established a partnership with Springall Academy, a special needs school focusing on students with autism and other similar disorders. Through that partnership, the church had helped to build a small garden for use by students as a calming retreat.
Jeanne Bauer made an appointment with the Director at that time, Heather Dierolf, to discuss the possibility of establishing a community garden on the portion of the property where the current school garden was located. Ms. Dierolf believed it to be a great idea, not only for her students, but for the community as well. As a result, the San Carlos UMC committee turned their attention from the vacant lot at Navajo Rd. and Cowles Mtn. Blvd. to the corner of Boulder Lake Ave. and Lake Adlon Dr.
A grant from Healthy Works provided the initial funds and expertise to form a Leadership Team committee and begin the development of the San Carlos Community Garden. The Leadership Team believed it was important that the garden be more than just rows of garden plots. Publicity went out to the community calling on those who were interested to come to one of the many scheduled meetings and share their ideas with the Leadership Team of what they would like to see in a community garden. Under the direction of landscape architect, George Mercer, those ideas took form and became the garden as it is today. A welcoming entry way, dry river bed, native garden, amphitheater, pumpkin patch, fruit orchard, herb garden, sixty-five community leased raised garden beds and twelve student raised garden beds.
San Carlos Community Garden is a vibrant and rich community resource. Its mission is to encourage gardening for nutrition and beauty, build on the knowledge of healthy living and stewardship of the earth, strengthen the collaboration of neighbors and schools, and lift the spirit through inspiration and healing.
Through community involvement, donations by individuals, churches and businesses, the garden is a sustainable entity that hopefully will be here for many years to come.
Has it been a smooth road?
The garden is situated on property owned by San Diego City Schools. Obtaining a joint-use agreement for the establishment of our community garden was a lengthy process. The Leadership Team was persistent and eventually, we were able to work out the agreement.
San Carlos Community Garden has no paid employees. Everything is done by volunteers. The Leadership Team takes care of the day-to-day business of running the garden and planning special events. Those who lease garden plots, along with the teachers and students from the school, take on the responsibility for the maintenance of the garden, outside of their own garden plot, such as weeding, watering and pruning of areas throughout the garden. They also serve as Open House Docents each Saturday, morning from February thru November when the garden is open to all who want to come in and enjoy this beautiful and restful place. Depending only on volunteers to get everything done can be tricky at times.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the San Carlos Community Garden story.
San Carlos Community Garden is not a business; we are a community resource. We are extremely pleased with what we have done in creating an organic garden on a parcel of land that had never been put to any constructive use over the past 50+ years. In addition to bringing out the beauty of the garden, which is situated next to a sports field and resides in the shadow of Cowles Mountain, we are proud of how the garden has impacted the community around us in such a positive way.
People come to the garden who have never gardened before just to sit and relax. People come to the garden to grow vegetables or flowers. Some come to try gardening for the very first time. Others bring memories of growing up on farms with acres of crops or tending rows of vegetables grown in the family’s backyard garden. Some come to the garden with their kids, and students from the school come with their teacher, where they learn that food doesn’t just come from a store.
They get to participate in the preparation, planting, tending and harvesting of fresh vegetables. The garden is full of Eagle Scout projects. Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops come to the garden to work on projects and earn badges. The garden has been used by members of the community to host special events such as art shows, yoga classes, and meetings of different clubs and organizations. Also, San Carlos Community Garden has hosted work parties, garden care and maintenance classes, fall festivals and our popular Pumpkin Smash that continue to bring the community together.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
It is our goal to make the garden active and sustainable for the long term. Garden lease fees will continue to meet the financial costs of maintaining the garden.
Areas have been set aside in honor of those who have given so much of their time and effort to bringing the garden to what it is today. Other areas have been designated as memorials to the passing of loved ones. Legacy tiles created by members of the community and students from the school are permanently mounted throughout the garden. One day, a grandparent may bring their grandchild to the garden and proudly show them the tile that they painted many years ago.
Contact Info:
- Address: San Carlos Community Garden
6460 Boulder Lake Ave.
San Diego, CA 9119 - Website: www.sancarloscommunitygarden.com
- Email: info@sancarloscommunitygarden.com
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