Organic gardening, Acorn Festival, and Christmas in Lakeside

Labor of Love Community Garden

Did you know that San Diego is the only place in all of the United States where you can grow both summer and winter crops? Or that too much digging in your garden will actually ruin your soil? How about the best kinds of soil to use in your home garden?

Labor of Love Community Garden

Did you know that San Diego is the only place in all of the United States where you can grow both summer and winter crops? Or that too much digging in your garden will actually ruin your soil? How about the best kinds of soil to use in your home garden?

Lillian Kiefer shared this information and much more in her recent seminar at the Lakeside Branch Library. Lillian is part of the local Labor of Love Community Garden in Eucalyptus Hills. Located at 11440 Manzanita Road, the garden has been growing organic fruits, vegetables and herbs since 2012. It is currently open to the public three days every week – Monday, Wednesday and (usually) Friday – from about 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (roughly) – depending on the heat of the day. An all-volunteer staff runs the entire operation.

The garden is an education center for home gardeners to learn and even experience how to grow crops the right way. Labor of Love does this both by example and explanation. “Until you’ve grown a carrot in your own garden, you’ve never really tasted a carrot,” Lillian said, adding that it is the same for everything else you grow at home. “Try to grow colorful veggies – lots of color.” The more color, the more antioxidants in the crop, the healthier it is for you. Did you know that carrots actually come in a variety of different colors?

Labor of Love donates about 80 percent of its crop to the East County Food Bank and other local organizations. It also operate a green house and a children’s garden on site, as well as a Monarch Butterfly Way Station, where the beautiful orange and black insects can be seen fluttering about year round.

To learn more about the Labor of Love Community Garden and organic gardening, contact Lillian Kiefer at (619) 840-9942. Visits and information are free.

Acorn Harvest Festival

Six-year-old Michael was intrigued by the odd sticks on the display table that looked like boomerangs. Mallory Genauer, Education Coordinator for the Barona Museum, explained to the boy that these were “rabbit sticks,” developed and used by the local Kumeyaay people to hunt small animals, as there were no grocery stores like we have today. Satisfied with the answer, Michael was on to his next question about another item on the table.

Mallory was staffing the Kumeyaay Hunting booth, one of the many volunteers participating in the 3rd Annual Acorn Harvest Festival held at Louis Stelzer County Park on Nov. 5. She repeated the story often and enthusiastically, answering many other questions asked by interested kids, both young and old.

Dozens of parents and kids visited the park on this hot Saturday, cooled by the old oaks that shade the little valley. Along the way, they learned about the life and times of the Kumeyaay people. The fascinating story topics included archaeology, native plants, and the tools and skills of the Kumeyaay people who called this area home. The free history lessons were interactive, as youngsters threw the “rabbit sticks” at targets (which were water bottles) and ground acorns in the manner of the native Kumeyaay, all under the wistful eye of Ranger Alex Wild. Ranger Wild started this celebration three years ago.

The idea was to journey to the past to honor the traditional acorn harvest, while exploring Kumeyaay traditions and learning how they lived off the land. Given the proximity to the Barona Indian Reservation, Ranger Wild felt the idea made sense.

The highlight of the event was a visit by Running Grunion (also known as Abel Silvas), a one-man history lesson who teaches through humor and interaction. The crowd was entranced as he approached in native dress, announcing his arrival with native rattles.

Christmas on Maine Avenue

The holiday spirit is about to arrive on Maine Avenue. Lakeside’s 18th Annual Spirit of Christmas and tree lighting ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 3. This family event is sponsored by the Lakeside Chamber of Commerce and brings hundreds of folks to Downtown Lakeside to kick off the holiday season. The Christmas spirit will fill the street as many local businesses will decorate and remain open for the celebration. The event creates an old-fashioned hometown atmosphere, focusing on a fun time for the kids. There will be food and drink and booths and other activities throughout the afternoon and into the evening, including a short parade by the El Capitan High School Band. Santa will make his appearance at 4:30 p.m. and the tree lighting ceremony begins at 5:00.

The Spirit of Christmas event starts at 4:00 p.m. and lasts until 9:00 on Maine Avenue in Downtown Lakeside. The street will be closed to vehicular traffic from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Come join the fun.

Christmas Resale Shoppe at Historical Society

The Lakeside Historical Society will again host its annual Mrs. Claus’ Christmas Resale Shoppe in the Olde Community Church at 9906 Maine Avenue. The grand opening is scheduled for Thursday, December 1, at 10:00 a.m. The Shoppe will then be open Tuesdays through Thursdays and Saturdays, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., through December 23^rd. On December 3 – the day of Lakeside’s Spirit of Christmas on Maine Avenue – the store will remain open until 8:00 p.m.