Ignatius Farm launches new community care box program
GUELPH – Ignatius Farm has launched a new harvest program called the Community Care Box, a weekly produce box that will work to both feed the community and fund the farm and various farmer training programs.
The program began March 12 and will run for a 20 week growing season. Box pickups will begin June 11.
“The farm is going through a bit of a transition,” said Ignatius communications and community manager Kel Smith.
The farm had previously offered its Community Shared Agriculture Program until it was discontinued in 2024 due to no longer being “financially viable.”
Since then, the farm has adopted an updated version of the program called the Farmer Training Program in 2020.
“We’ve been working to reimagine what’s taking place at the farm and we know that our Farmer Education Program is a really important part of whatever is coming next,” said Smith.
The new Community Care Box will feature leafy greens such as arugula and salad mixes, kale and spinach, onions, radishes, sweet peppers, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, beets, carrots, garlic and squash.
All produce is grown by staff, volunteers, interns and trainees.
“We really wanted to focus on crops that would be well received with the distribution agencies,” said Smith, “so crops that, you know, keep a little bit better or they have found that they can move more quickly.”
Each box will cost $30 plus an additional minimum donation of $25.
Each box will include $30 worth of produce and the donation will work to ensure that the same amount of food included in the box is also donated to local food distribution agencies such as Hope House Guelph and Chalmers.
Boxes are available for purchase online at ignatiusguelph.ca/product/community-care-box/.
Those purchasing a box/boxes can select what week or weeks they would like to recieve their boxes, there are limited boxes available each week so interested parties are advised to act fast for earlier pick up weeks.
