GUELPH/ERAMOSA – The Ignatius Jesuit Centre celebrated their Ignatius Farm AgriSpirit Well with a ribbon-cutting at the new pump house on Dec. 2.
This project was launched thanks to an initial $25,000 contribution from Farm Credit Canada’s AgriSpirit Fund, and completed thanks to a community of generous anonymous donors.
As costs of the project escalated, a $5,000 contribution from the City of Guelph Community Fund helped purchase the required water reservoir.
Farm Credit Canada representative Maria Domingos was on hand to congratulate the centre’s team and to learn more about how the well will support Ignatius Farm’s work to feed the local community.
“When you pass by the Ignatius Jesuit Centre, you would have no idea all that is going on here,” Domingos observed.
Situated just north of the City of Guelph, Ignatius Farm is the 235-acre agricultural field mosaic that defines many of the walking trails at the centre.
The farm is an organic community training farm that grows vegetables, berries, and seedlings for Community Shared Agriculture households, service agencies, markets, local businesses and gardeners.
The farm includes 3.5 acres of community gardens for over 280 households, and currently hosts 13 diverse small plot farm enterprises through acreage rentals. The small plot farm enterprises can now access water on site thanks to the new well.
“This is really big for us,” said Tish Oldrieve of May Moon Flowers.
Vanessa Hyland, retired development coordinator for the Ignatius Jesuit Centre, noted several of the farm businesses grew from their experiences as community gardeners and in the Ignatius Farm New Farmer Training Program.
The training program draws participants from across Ontario and beyond, with 416 participants in 2022, and 40 participating in all four terms for their training certificate.
“Globally, Jesuit organizations are prioritizing care for the planet and accompanying youth and those who are disadvantaged to create a hope-filled future. This new well for the farm is part of this bigger vision,” said the centre’s executive director Roger Yaworski.
“Thanks for letting us be a part of it and have an opportunity to contribute. The farm has been a really big part of my life,” said Matt Vermeulen, an Ignatius Farm donor, community gardener and volunteer.
