Ontario Region

HOST SITES

University of Toronto Scarborough. ON

Fertile Ground Farm, ON

EVENTS

Seed Demonstration Garden Tour and Local Varieties Tasting: August 24, 2022

The Care in Carrots: Urban Agriculture and Crop Breeding: September 22, 2022

Saving Spectacular Seeds, Seed Conservation at the Regional Seed Demonstration Gardens: September 28, 2022

SEED PROVIDERS

Thanks to the regional seed producers who provided seed for this project: 

Angie Koch .  Backyard Seed Savers . Bob Wilfong . Duane Falk . Greta's Family Gardens. Hawthorn Farm Organic Seeds . Jennifer Sanders. Kitchen Table Seed House . Orchard Hill Farm . Seeds of Diversity Canada.  SeedWorks Plant Breeding Club .

HIGHLIGHTS

The Demonstration Gardens at Fertile Ground Farm will showcase 80 varieties of vegetables, grain, and potatoes that have been regionally bred and adapted or are not currently available as organic, but may be well suited to regional vegetable production and seed production by local seed companies and seed stewards. 

This site will be performing variety trials as part of the Farmer-Led Research Program, including okra (thanks to leadership of okra aficionado Rav Singh, Shade of Miti), and red bell peppers, including the region’s first farmer-bred pepper, Renegade Red, developed by SeedWorks. As well, orange and red carrot varieties, including those selected by ecological growers in BC as part of the CANOVI work, will be trialed. 

Six varieties will also be grown out here for conservation and use by growers across Canada, in partnership with Seeds of Diversity. Find out more about their wonderful programs here. 

The University of Toronto Scarborough site will be executing an orange, red, and rainbow carrot trial as part of our ongoing CANOVI work.