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People no longer have to own a yard to grow a garden, at least not in Buena Park.
Located off Thelma and Knott Ave, a lush and vibrant community garden lies hidden in the midst of Buena Park. Abundant in crops and community, residents with limited yard space can rent one of the 168 plots available to start a garden of their very own.
Longtime resident and Buena Park Community Services Leader, Linda Strikler, is responsible for maintaining the garden and regulating garden rules that need to be followed. Strikler frequently checks the garden plots and updates residents on any changes that need to be made according to their community rules.
In addition to the upkeep of the garden, Strikler cultivates her own crops on one of the plots she rents and recommends that new gardeners start with a small plot before committing to a larger one.
“It’s fun getting all the produce and stuff that you’ve grown because it tastes so much better than anything that you can buy,” said Strikler.
The garden is a reflection of the diverse community residing in Buena Park with a variety of different languages and cultures represented by each of the gardeners.
Residents like Geurdap Singh.
Singh grows a variety of different fruits and vegetables, including some that are native to his Indian culture.
He happily welcomes visitors to his garden and is more than willing to share about the crops that he grows and uses in his dishes.
The garden is home to many, including Providence St. Jude Medical Center’s Move More, Eat Healthy garden. The Move More, Eat Healthy (MMEH) campaign is made up of different community-based organizations, businesses, faith-based partners, and individuals whose objective is to create a healthier community in the cities that they work or reside in.
Move More, Eat Healthy works towards combating the obesity epidemic through physical activity, improved nutrition, and support for healthy lifestyle policies in low income neighborhoods of North Orange County, specifically La Habra, Buena Park, Placentia and Fullerton.
Providence St. Jude Medical Center provides support for the garden initiative as part of their community benefit.
Providence St. Jude’s Medical Center’s Move More, Eat Healthy team was recently awarded Gardener of the Month at the community garden and hosts workshops taught by gardening coach, Lorinda Peterson.
“That’s been my favorite experience. Teaching the residents who don’t even have a clue how to begin, showing them and getting their hands dirty. [The workshops] are so hands-on,” said Peterson. “We’re planting in the garden beds that have been donated and just teaching residents how to start a garden of their own.”
Peterson has been working in the garden since 2021 and manages the submissions that they enter into the OC Fair Fruit and Veggie competitions. In 2023, the garden won 1st place for largest cucumber and spaghetti squash and 2nd place for largest eggplant.
This year, the garden plans to continue entering their produce into the OC Fair Fruit and Veggie competitions and has already won 1st place for cherry tomatoes and 3rd place for largest butternut squash and mexican squash.
Working with interns from local colleges, the garden is managed by a team of volunteers including Buena Park residents Ana Lilia Castro and Minerva Jimenez.
“I love growing zucchini because it grows easily, it’s very healthy and you can eat it in a lot of different ways. I am diabetic and it’s one of my favorite vegetables to grow in the garden,” said Castro.
“My favorite part of the garden is including my husband and kids. I am able to explain to my family what I am doing here,” said Jimenez. “For example, I can teach my family how to grow strawberries, tomatoes and peppers.”
Buena Park residents can purchase a plot of their own at the start of each registration period in October in the Buena Park Community Center. Prices range from $50 to $80 depending on the size of the plot being purchased.
Orange County residents can learn more about how to rent their own plot on the Buena Park City website and get updates about the Move More, Eat Healthy campaign on Instagram.
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