Celebrity chef, master gardener in Long Beach aims to teach others how to cook farm to table meals
Chef Rod Dodd in North Long Beach owns Organic Harvest Farms where he teaches youth how to harvest and cook.
LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Organic Harvest Farms in North Long Beach has been around for seven years.
The farm is owned by celebrity chef and master gardener, Rodd Dodd, who likes to call the farm place Long Beach's hidden jewel.
Dodd had a vision to open a mini urban farm to provide produce for local restaurants.
When the pandemic hit, he decided to change gears and the farm became a place where youth can learn to do what he does, make farm to table meals and garden.
"I put together a curriculum called 'from seed, to harvest, to table,' and so we teach various students all the aspects of urban gardening, urban farming, hydroponics and also how to cook what they harvest," said Dodd.
Dodd says they get interns from a nonprofit organization called the Long Beach Community Action Partnership.
Dodd grows seasonal produce and has chickens and goats on his farms.
"When the children plant it, they will eat it. A lot of kids never even knew that carrots came out of the ground. They thought it came out of the grocery store," said Dodd.
Dodd also hosts farm to table meal events where people can come and eat the food he cooks using ingredients from his farm.
He says they have plans in the future to add another garden.
"We're building another garden in the back area there for veterans and seniors to be able to come and enjoy. It's kind of a tranquility garden. It helps with PTSD and other things," said Dodd.
Dodd says if you want to volunteer, donate, or inquire about the farm you can contact them at organicharvestgardens.com.
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