  Carolina has been a plot owner at Huerta since its inception in 2013. Her plot, located near the entrance of the garden, is one of the first things to greet visitors. In her free time, she enjoys sharing fruits and vegetables from her garden, cooking cacti, and Aztec dancing. We feel grateful to have had the chance to chat with her about her involvement at Huerta. Check out some of the highlights from our interview below! Lena: How long have you been coming to Huerta? Carolina: Four years. I was one of the first persons to come here. Lena: The last time I was here was 3 years ago and I feel like it’s changed a lot since then. There’s so much more green now! Do you feel like its changed since then? Carolina: There was nothing, then! We moved a lot of things...There’s now compose for the Earth and all this beautiful delicious produce. Lena: What’s your favorite thing about Huerta? Or, one of your favorite things about it? Carolina: One of my favorite things is that it’s relaxing. It's part of my life. I remember when I was a little girl and learned to garden with my dad. And now, I teach it to my son and my daughter. When I was young, my dad came and saw me gardening a little herb. He said that it was a toy for me. In Mexico, my dad had acres. I love gardening. it's one of my inspirations. Lena: What's your idea of a garden? Carolina: The circle of life. We have a circle: birth, reproduction, growth, and death and the plants are like these. it's beautiful when you plant a seed and it grows up and gives its fruit and dies. Lena: What’s your favorite dish, meal, or piece of vegetable?Carolina: I love strawberries and I love cactus. Right here, we’re planting onions, tomatoes, cilantro -- a complete salad with cactus! I love it and it’s a healthy dish. Lena: How did you hear about Huerta when you first started? Carolina: I love to share when my produce comes. Strawberries, guava, canes, whatever I find. Sometimes, I cut down all my canes into little pieces and people can come and eat it. I share it with everyone and I feel so good. I feel great sharing parts of my produce for free! It's a beautiful moment when you grow something and can share it with other people. Lena: What have you learned through your time at Huerta? Carolina: Each day, I learn and discover new things. Each day new and new and new things that I never knew. I discover a new plant, new friends, a new culture! People are coming from different places. For example, someone from Russia says, “In Russia, I did that one” or from Salvador, they say they planted like this, too. Every day I learn and learn and learn and we don’t usually stop to learn. Also, I love the natural look of the beautiful butterflies. Different styles of butterfly. We have the monarch butterflies that love it. The hummingbirds love it. It’s amazing. I love it. I’m a person with a lot of activities. My husband says that the day has 24 hours and I have activities for 36 hours of the day. I go to the school, I’m a volunteer for the school, I come into the garden, I’m an Aztec dancer. That’s why this space [Huerta] is relaxing. I feel so comfortable right here. Look at it...how beautiful, the trees. The flowers are probably coming in 2 months. Lena: What are some of your dreams for the future of this garden?Carolina: Continue to plant, continue to learn, and probably expand. Each day I learn and learn and learn. I have an open mind. When you learn more and more things, you are more empowered. Questions and answers, let’s go! That’s the idea for me. It’s part of my life. 
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Huerta del Valle was on the radio! Please listen to the recording. Share widely. Also please come to our event!
April 2nd 12pm - 9pm. Fun for all ages celebrating our 3 year anniversary! At our farm. Bring everyone you know! To listen please click the link below. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9gOC1zUVh1JcVZlLTFleTZ0X2c/view?usp=drive_web Francisco Duenas works a small plot of carrots, garlic and onions at the Huerta del Valle Community Garden in Ontario on Jan. 18. Organizers are hoping to build permanent community and educational center structures as part of a plan to expand the garden. They have already raised more than $17,000 on Kickstarter to fund the engineering and construction and are seeking the public’s help is raising more funds. (Photos By Will Lester — Staff Photographer) ONTARIO >> When Huerta del Valle community garden relocated to a 4-acre parcel in the northeast part of town organizers encountered a fenced-up empty field with an abundance of weeds and garbage. But to executive director Maria Alonso and project manager Arthur Levine, it looked promising. Just west of Bon View Park, it's the city's first urban farm and community garden. More than 6,000 pounds of produce was sold to nearby restaurants and farmers markets in the last season. Those revenues are then used to pay for the operational costs of the garden. There are now 62 families who maintain a 20-foot by 10-foot plot of land, for only $10 a year....... Read more on this article by clicking the link below. http://www.dailybulletin.com/lifestyle/20160124/ontario-community-garden-looking-to-grow-with-publics-help   This weekend, five families made up of mothers, children, and young adults from Mar Vista Gardens visited Huerta del Valle Community Garden in Ontario, California. Our trip began in the early afternoon driving away from the Mar Vista Gardens community garden in two vehicles. Upon driving into Ontario after 1.5 hours of Los Angeles traffic, I saw small mom and pop restaurants, liquor stores, one-story homes and trailers nearing the address on our destination. Before stepping out of the car, we all pointed at the fenced area with plants growing beyond the height of the fence. We were confident we had found the garden, and this was confirmed when Maria Alonso, the Garden Manager, came out to greet us as we neared the fenced green area...... Wednesday, January 13, 2016Cultivadores go to Huerta del Valle Community. Authored by: Eli TizcareñoThis weekend, five families made up of mothers, children, and young adults from Mar Vista Gardens visited Huerta del Valle Community Garden in Ontario, California. Our trip began in the early afternoon driving away from the Mar Vista Gardens community garden in two vehicles. Upon driving into Ontario after 1.5 hours of Los Angeles traffic, I saw small mom and pop restaurants, liquor stores, one-story homes and trailers nearing the address on our destination. Before stepping out of the car, we all pointed at the fenced area with plants growing beyond the height of the fence. We were confident we had found the garden, and this was confirmed when Maria Alonso, the Garden Manager, came out to greet us as we neared the fenced green area...... Read more on this by clicking the link below https://rootsforpeace.wordpress.com/2015/09/22/mvg-community-garden-members-go-on-a-garden-tour/  Architecture students from California State Polytechnic University recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to support their local community garden. The team's innovative plans include the use of rammed earth construction, recycled shipping containers, and solar power...... Read more on this article by clicking the link below http://www.gizmag.com/huerta-del-valle-community-garden/41298/ HUERTA DEL VALLE: CULTIVATING EQUITY FOR THE COMMUNITY, BY THE COMMUNITY by: AUTUMN RAUCHWERK1/12/2016 I travel to about 16 college campuses each year, and on each campus I talk a lot about sustainable food. At the beginning of my talks, I always ask people if they think Bon Appétit is “sustainable,” and then I ask them to answer the question when thinking about themselves as individuals...... Read more about this article in the link below http://www.bamco.com/blog/steps-towards-better-food-system-huerta-del-valle-growing-organic-building-community/ Using their academic skill sets to create new structures for a flourishing community garden located in Ontario, California, three Cal Poly Pomona architecture students have created an online fundraiser to help raise money to build a community and educational space........ Read more in the link below http://www.thepolypost.com/news/students-fundraise-design-addition-for-community-garden/article_171691ce-b814-11e5-8be5-0b7423f98ecf.html  |
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