Edible Allan Gardens
photo: Diana Teal
Edible Allan Gardens is a peaceful oasis located south of the Children’s Conservatory that brings local volunteers together to grow food for the community and to share food-growing knowledge.
Due to COVID-19 related closures earlier this year, we were unsure if we’d be able to open the garden for the season. But, thanks to advocacy work by many organizations in Ontario, the province re-opened community gardens and declared them an “essential source of fresh food” in late April. Soon after, FOAG applied for a community garden permit, quickly assembled a team of gardeners and got growing with the help and guidance of super volunteer and urban farmer Derek Barber. (Thank you Derek!)
Each week the garden’s bounty has surprised and delighted us. Since mid-June, we’ve donated the garden harvest – including lettuce, kale, chard, fennel, herbs, garlic, cucumbers, potatoes and countless tomatoes – to our friends at Building Roots in support of their “Growing Meals Together” initiative at the Moss Park Market. We also share veggies with Toronto Food Not Bombs, who organize the food share program on Sundays in Allan Gardens.
Recently we spoke with our dedicated volunteer team to learn more about their experience working in Edible Allan Gardens. These wonderful people are what makes the garden grow, and the spirit of the garden is beautifully captured in their comments.
Why did you volunteer in the edible garden this season?
Jane: It seemed like a great way to get out and meet new people. Especially during our current times I find this super hard to do. I also love being outside so the garden was the best of both worlds.
Laura: I’m very interested in learning about and supporting food security and food sovereignty efforts in Toronto, so I was excited to get involved with the edible garden and learn more about the way it works. I had little growing/harvesting experience but have always wanted to learn more about urban agriculture, and volunteering here has allowed me to learn key things to start my own garden at home.
Carole: I wanted to learn about growing fruits and vegetables.
Glenn: I volunteered as a way to stay connected with Allan Gardens, to contribute in some small way to the community and, as someone who lives in a condo with no balcony, as a way to get outdoors and get to do some gardening!
Kiel: I love volunteering with FOAG so the primary draw for me with this was just to be able to volunteer with the group again given the limited options right now. I also love the hands-on aspect of volunteering and planting so I particularly enjoy the edible garden for that reason.
photo: Diana Teal
What do you find most rewarding about working in the garden?
Jane: The most rewarding thing is getting to see how amazingly our plants have grown over the weeks, and also knowing that the harvest will be used for a good cause.
Laura: Everyone deserves access to fresh, healthy food, and there are still lots of barriers in our city that prevent many folks from accessing this right. It’s great that the bounty of the garden goes towards supporting the efforts of the Moss Park Market.
Carole: I enjoy learning about different ways the vegetables and fruits grow.
Glenn: Getting the opportunity to, in some small way, connect with nature and do something worthwhile at the same time. Also getting to connect with other people who have the same interests.
Kiel: Seeing the plants grow and produce food that goes on to help others is the most rewarding part. I also love learning the best ways to grow and harvest various crops. Working with Derek has been very informative and I’ve definitely learned a lot about growing food. I’m now already passing on various tips I’ve learned from the garden.
photo: Diana Teal
Can you share a favourite story, moment or event in the garden?
Jane: My favourite moments are when people walking by see us in the garden and just want to stop and chat about plants. It’s such a great way to connect with the community.
Laura: I helped plant some pumpkins from seed on my very first day at the garden. Watching these plants grow from something so tiny has been amazing— they’re SO big now and the pumpkins are coming in!
Carole: I enjoyed collecting tomatoes with my daughter and eating popsicles after a volunteer shift on hot summer days.
Glenn: Just seeing the great variety of vegetables that can grow in such a relatively small space and how quickly they grow. Also getting to taste some of the fresh vegetables like the cucamelon and those tiny, sweet tomatoes. Reminds me of what tomatoes used to taste like!
Patty: My favourite moments are at the beginning and end of my volunteer shift. I love to walk around the garden when I first arrive and see all of the changes that have occurred since my last volunteer shift. I love to walk around the garden when I first arrive and see all of the changes that have occurred since my last volunteer shift. My other favourite moment occurs at the end of the shift when Diana lines up all of the vegetables that have been harvested to take a photo. It really makes me happy to see all of the wonderful vegetables and think about the people who will enjoy eating them.
photo: Diana Teal
What is your favourite plant growing in the garden and why?
Carole: The many different types of tomatoes are interesting to see grow and taste delicious!
Jane: I love all of the flowers! They just make the garden look so happy.
Patty: It is really difficult for me to pick a favourite plant because I have a lot of affection for all of them! If I had to pick one vegetable, it would be the pumpkin because it is truly remarkable that such enormous plants grew from the single seeds that we planted on our first day in the garden. If I had to pick a favourite flower it is definitely the zinnias because they are so cheerful and I love all of the different colours!
Laura: The Midnight Snack tomatoes are beautiful. I love picking them off the vine and seeing the star shape that the vine leaves behind on the fruit.
Glenn: Those black tomatoes. Never seen them before. Also, how the vines for the cucumbers, pumpkins, etc. will just spread out anywhere they can to survive and get the most sun possible.
Kiel: Sorrel! Strange I know…..I just love how easy it is and how yummy the leaves are. Close second would be all the berries plants of course. And a close third (or maybe tied for second) would be zinnias because they are pretty!
