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At Home Grown Gardens, our goal is to bring back the true meaning of "locally-grown" food and to build vibrant communities. We accomplish this by empowering people to grow their own food, providing all of the necessary support along the way.

Matthew Van Diepen
Owner
 
Matt began to grow food sustainably in an effort to reverse the devastating effects of industrialized agriculture and climate change. He saw the need for a local food system in Southern California that provides healthy and fresh food. He founded Home Grown Gardens to be a part of the solution.
 

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Brain Bailey
Urban Farmer and Garden Educator
 
Brian Bailey has been involved with garden and environmental education for many years. He has lived on farms in Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz, and has taught in classrooms and afterschool programs from San Francisco to Watts. At Home Grown Gardens, Mr. Bailey’s focus is on garden education at local schools, bringing hands-on science and environmental lessons to a wide variety of students. Outside of the gardens, Mr. Bailey enjoys surfing, hiking, sailing, singing and dancing, practicing yoga and bicycling around town.
 

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Ana Laura Paiva
Urban Farmer, UCCE Master Gardener
 
Ana Laura thrives when she is in the gardens. After working and teaching in community gardens at Santa Monica College and UCLA, she has grown a passion for growing gardens and healthier communities, and eradicating food insecurity for a better quality of life for people and planet. At Home Grown Gardens, she maintains clients’ gardens, ensuring that the plants are thriving, helps build gardens, and teaches garden classes.
 

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Luca Kastenbaum
Urban Farmer
 
After growing veggies, herbs and fruits at home, Luca fell in love with gardening and wanted to help people in the city grow food and California native plants at home. He helps maintain the nursery keeping  plants happy, and healthy, and planting seeds of love and gratitude. He loves planting fruit trees, making compost, and especially sharing and teaching people to reconnect with plants, animals, and soil.

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