City Farm School

Jackie Martin from City Farm School in Montreal talks about the urban-agriculture apprenticeship program.

Today on the podcast we head to Montreal to hear about City Farm School, an urban-agriculture apprenticeship program.

Jackie Martin, a co-ordinator with City Farm School, explains that this not-for-profit program uses space provided by Concordia University. In addition to greenhouse space on the 13th floor of a downtown building, the “farm” is located at the Loyola Campus, in a residential neighbourhood. She says that the market garden is roughly the size of a soccer field — and there’s a medicinal-plant garden too.

Apprenticeship Program

The program, which is open to anyone in the community, has two streams: a market-gardener apprenticeship and a medicinal-plants apprenticeship.

The program begins in the greenhouse in March, sowing seeds for transplants for the farm and for a plant sale. In May, students begin transplanting and seeding at the market garden.

The community market opens in June. Students take part in harvesting for market, preparing produce for market, and staffing the market. Later in summer students save seeds for the following year.

Before graduating students are expected to teach a free workshop that is open to the public. Martin says that past topics have included seeding, fermentation, and pest control — with some of the more memorable topics being herbal medicine for pets and edible weeds.

Community Outreach

The weekly market has been an important way to connect with the community. “Our neighbours are our biggest supporters, and always have been,” says Martin. She explains that many of their neighbours now grow their own kale, after she sent them home from market with their own kale seed. It’s not a move that increases kale sales — but it’s in keeping with their mandate to encourage gardening in the city.

Martin says former students have gone on to become farmers, teachers, and community organizers. Many of the organizations they now partner with were created by former students.

City Farm School Documentary

Watch this 3-part documentary about City Farm School that was made by a former student.