Our California Garden Clubs Channel Island District Director and the Organic Garden Club of Ventura County’s founding President, Darcey Lober, gave the seven Garden Clubs attending the Luncheon at Buca di Beppo Restaurant in Thousand Oaks updates from the recent California Garden Club Convention that she went to in San Diego.

The theme of the Luncheon was “Creating Your Garden Sanctuary”, to disconnect from the stress of daily life and reconnect with yourself and Nature. Spending 10 minutes in your garden each morning grounds you, improves your immune system, and brings you clarity!

Elizabeth Gollner, Diana Lovejoy, Linda Toutz, Becky Hosseini, Darcey Lober, Larry Filaski

Thanks to the above fabulous volunteers, the Luncheon got great reviews: “epic, fantastic, marvelous, fun, great speakers, good food, wonderfully organized, excellent information, amazing success”!

We had a great turnout of happy, positive gardeners with officers and members attending from all seven clubs.

The Ventura County Garden Club and the Westlake Village Garden Club.

Ojai Valley Garden Club, Malibu Garden Club, and Pleasant Valley Garden Club.

Conejo Valley Garden Club and Organic Garden Club of Ventura County (at the long table in back).

In the Garden, you can forget the whole world, contemplating the circle of life, the flow of energy through all living beings, and the connection to what is alive on the planet around you!

Each Club brought terrific items for the Silent Auction.

Lillian Trevison set the tone for the event with her lovely flute music. The speakers came between the family style Italian menu of salad, spaghetti marinara with veggies, cheese manicotti, chicken Limone, and chocolate chip cannoli.

Dale Harshberger, Diana Lovejoy, Bill Brandt, Lillian Trevison, Linda Toutz, Larry Filaski

Our first speaker, John Schoustra, Greenwood DayLily Gardens and Apricot Lane Farms, talked about the joys of working in orchards and gardens. He brought eight avocado trees for the Auction! In Nature, as Shakespeare said, you can find “tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stone, and good in everything”. Being in Nature, you can improve memory and immunity, find delight, and embrace the mystery and wonder of life.

Bill Brandt, Diana Lovejoy, John Schoustra

Our second speaker, Dale Harshberger, an Armstrong Nursery instructor with Master Gardener and Rosarian certifications, suggested ways to create an oasis in your backyard! Take a moment for gratitude. Watch a butterfly and the pattern of leaves blowing in the breeze, the sun dancing through the trees. Notice the scents of nearby plants, the chirping of a bird, a buzzing bee. Envision your own garden sanctuary.

Our third speaker was Bill Brandt, Educator, California Rare Fruit Tree Expert and past LA President,  and Organic Garden Club’s Past President and current Vice President. He told us how he fell in love with the Garden and now has 27 fruit trees, many grafted with several varieties, in his urban backyard. Humanity is a part of nature not separate from it! The trees, plants, water, and soil are relatives to be cherished.  

We passed a motion to donate District funds to our Director Darcey Lober’s new Healing Tree Garden in Oxnard, an organic oasis, dedicated to preserving biodiversity, through the cultivation of medicinal and edible plants with cultural and historical significance – a place where neighbors meet, hands work together, and seeds of kindness grow.

The Organic Garden Club was awarded 1st place in California Garden Clubs for Club Touring and the Blue Ribbon Certificate of Achievement! The Organic Garden Club’s mission is to inspire you to grow an organic food garden where you live.

The Channel Island District Club Presidents presented their yearly activities, projects, and programs. We all went home with peaceful good feelings!