During BlogHer11 I was invited, along with a few other local bloggers, to test drive the new GMC Acadia and GMC Terrain.  But this wasn't any ordinary test drive.  We were participating in the GMC 'Lend a Green Thumb' event.  We test drove the vehicles from the Marriot to City Farmer's Nursery and then onto a couple of local schools. 

Once we arrived at City Farmer's Nursery we were given a tour by the owner, who opened the nursery when he was 16.  He is amazing.  He lives off his nursery, literally.  Not only is his residence located on the property behind the nursery, but he grows and raises the majority of his food.  He only needs to go to the grocery store every 3 months or so.   

City Farmers Nursery

And take a look at these precious twins born the day before.

City Farmers Nursery

This is much more than a nursery though, they offer free classes including cooking, canning, basics for homeowners, planting, they even have chainsaw carving demonstrations.  He is in the process of building a children's learning area too.  They sell a wide variety of products, everything you need really for your own garden.  There are animals to look at and Bill was telling us that visitors pop in with picnic lunches to enjoy in the garden.  They also take in turtles, bunnies and koi that can no longer be cared for by their owners.  They even have bees.

City Farmers Nursery

The lovely people at GMC who we were partnered up with for the afternoon were given a wishlist of gardening supplies from two San Diego schools that are starting school/community gardens: Helix Charter High School and Aseltine School (which is a school for students with learning disabilities).  With the help of Bill from City Farmers Nursery we loaded up our GMC's with all of the supplies requested and personally delivered them to the schools.

At Helix Charter High School we learned more about where the gardens would be located, what they would be used for, and about the funding of them.  Helix will have 2 gardens, one for the students and a second for the community.   Their long-term goal is to grow food that students can enjoy as part of the meal program.  Aseltine has a student garden which they use for fresh produce that students can also enjoy.  I love that these schools are growing fresh produce for their students to enjoy, plus teaching them about gardening along the way.

GMC Lend a green thumb event

You can read more here:

Mt Helix Patch: Helix Charter High to Host Community Garden – and One for the Students

Sign On San Diego: La Mesa says it's ready to put down roots

Afer meeting with the schools, we headed to a lovely restaurant, Alchemy to learn more about GMC and the Community Gardens project from Judy at Master Gardeners San Diego.  I haven't been through North Park in a couple of years, and I will not confirm or deny getting a little distracted by thrift and antique shops while driving and poor Joe was starving, and by the time we actually arrived at the restaurant we were both delirious and had tears streaming down our faces from laughing so much. 

Alchemy

I have to give a rave review about this restaurant.  The food is absolutely DELICIOUS!  It was pre-ordered and so we got to try a little assortment including chickpea hummus, kalamata olive tapenade, fried green tomatoes, and other delicious dishes.

My verdict on the cars.  I want one.  No, I need one.  I prefered the look of the Acadia, but those air conditioned seats in the Terrain are all kinds of awesome.  Both cars were easy to drive and I didn't feel like I was in an over-sized obnoxious waste of space.  Loved that 3rd row seating too.   OnStar really need to learn how to speak Aussie though, because apparently my accent had the system a little rattled.   

GMC AMBASSADOR:  Although they haven't given me a car … Joe, we need to speak about that.  Each of us was handed seed paper envelopes.  Each envelope contained a gift card (there was even one for us).  Our mission though.  Make somebody's day.  While out and about in our communities we are to hand out gift cards to GMC drivers to thank them for purchasing a GMC.  I have handed out one already and the lady was stunned, and yet very happy.  I saw her getting help loading groceries into the back of her GMC at the Commissary and she had 'retired veteran' stickers on the back, so I went up, introduced myself and handed her a gift card.  She was thrilled.  I cannot wait to hand out the others.  I just need to learn the art of being subtle and not stalk people in parking lots, or suggest to my husband that he should catch up to them on the road while we are driving. 

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