by Natalie Childs
I grew up on Anderson Street and ours has always been an incredible neighbourhood to eat in. Endless pho options, the samosas from Nasa Food Centre, and the foccacia from the House of Fresh Pasta were some of my childhood favourites. But for all the incredible food options, it’s not always easy to find fresh, local, produce in our neighbourhood.
As a new farmer with roots in the community, I’m hoping to help change that. This year, Agricola Cooperative Farm will be offering a 16-week Community Supported Agriculture program, with a drop-off at the DCA Community Garden, on the corner of Preston and Somerset.
Agricola Cooperative Farm began as the shared vision of four friends: Heather Syposz, Caleb Langille, Hannah Hunter and myself.
Like many first-generation farmers, we’re often asked how we got into agriculture, and why. With less than two percent of the population in Canada currently engaged in agricultural work (as compared to 100 years ago, when farming was the single most common occupation in Canada), farming is seen by some as an unconventional choice.
The four of us met at university in Halifax in 2006 and quickly became close. We studied (between the four of us) international development, social work, philosophy, and ecological thought.
In learning about the systems that shape our political and social worlds, we found injustice, ecological destruction, and economic disparity throughout. In the face of an uncertain future, we wanted to create something positive and concrete: for us, that looks like growing food for people.
We grow our vegetables and flowers at the Plateforme Agricole de L’Ange-Gardien in Buckingham, QC. We grow organically, which means we don’t use chemical pesticides or fertilizers, we look for biological solutions to pest and disease issues, and we strive to reduce our carbon footprint at every stage of our growing process.
Our bio-intensive systems are aimed at growing food on a human scale, and we use hand tools, cover crops, and compost to grow abundant quantities of fresh vegetables in a relatively small space.
We believe that food should build community, be ecologically sustainable and be a pleasure to grow and eat. As part of this mandate, we’re excited to be partnering with the DCA Community Garden.
Started in 2017 with the help of the Vietnamese Canadian Centre, the City of Ottawa and a volunteer board, the community garden hosts 72 gardeners sharing 36 plots on the site, and have graciously allowed us to host our weekly farm share pickup on the site.
Community Supported Agriculture is a model that connects local farmers and eaters, and allows us to share in the joys and realities of small-scale agriculture. In this system, individuals or families sign up and pay us at the beginning of the season for a share of vegetables. Your support helps us buy seed, compost, and equipment for the year ahead.
In return for your early contribution, we provide you with weekly shares of fresh, delicious produce all season long.
In urban environments, it can be a challenge to connect with land and the sources of our food. Participating in the community garden is a great way to do this, and we hope to connect with you at our weekly dropoffs.
We want to demystify what goes into growing vegetables in our climate, share what we know, and learn from you!
We hope that whether you’re a member or not, you’ll stop by the community garden to chat on Thursday evenings this summer.
Learn more about the farm at fermeagricola.com.