Join us in welcoming Olimpia Bernard, Cultivating Dreams' newest head farmer.

This past May, Olimpia Bernard, an environmentalist and lifelong nature lover, acquired the role of the head farmer at Cultivating Dreams Farm. 

She has never been shy with getting her hands dirty. Starting at a very young age in her family garden, Olimpia sowed the seeds and watered and weeded the plant beds. She raised bees for around 7 years, is a huge birdwatching enthusiast, and for the past 20+ years, has consistently worked retail at garden and nursery centers. 

Olimpia spoke of nature’s role amidst her life and our high-tech world.

“Nature can be very soothing for me when I hear the hum of the hummingbirds, the songs of songbirds, and to see the beauty around us.  We have such busy lives but if we just stop and unplug, we can notice the wonderful world around us.  I find myself looking at a single snowflake or a spider web that has morning dew on it and it makes me happy and calm.” 

Head Farmer Olimpia Bernard

By chance, Olimpia stumbled upon Cultivating Dreams. Luckily, the job description fit her gardening expertise like a glove. “I truly believe God presented me with this opportunity,” she said. “I now have the chance to do something that I enjoy and help others.” 

On the Cultivating Dreams Farm, Olimpia heads up planting and maintenance efforts. Within the farm’s two greenhouses, she grows veggies of all kinds including beets, radishes, broccoli, lettuce, spinach, onions, ginger, lemongrass, kale, bok choy, squashes, artichokes, lettuces, cucumbers, peas, cilantro, and more. 

Within the sensory garden, she raises bicolor corn, sunflowers, other flower varieties, asparagus, and perennial edibles such as strawberries, rhubarb, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries. 

It’s clear that loads of work come along with maintaining the Cultivating Dreams grounds. But not to worry. Adults with all abilities offer a huge helping hand by volunteering, growing crops, and spearheading a variety of other farm chores. This kind of work not only helps Olimpia expand the farm, it empowers adults with all abilities to try the colorful and unique flavors that grow in the garden, learn of the importance of local organic farming, develop practical life and agricultural skills, and give back to the community from an environmental standpoint. 

In the Sensory Garden and the two farm greenhouses, adults with all abilities seed, weed, plant, water, and propagate plants using the stem-cutting method. Olimpia detailed that they also “rototill garden plots, rake them level, seed and plant crops such as corn and strawberries, harvest heads of lettuce,” and more. And after a long day of farmwork, they have the opportunity to bring harvested veggies and flowers home to enjoy with their families. 

Through these efforts, Olimpia hopes to:

• -teach adults with all abilities how to eat and grow healthier foods from the seed to harvesting stage
• -connect the local community with the farm by bringing in more volunteer groups
• -grow produce to feed seniors and support food pantries & homeless shelters, and more.

“It is very important to have local farms to supply fresh and healthy crops,  help our communities, and grow as organic as possible,” she said. 

The next time you visit Cultivating Dreams, be sure to meet Olimpia Bernard. Congratulations, Olimpia! CBS is thrilled to have you!