Toronto, ON: Dig In! UofT Campus Agriculture encourages the growth and development of urban agriculture projects on campus and seeks to educate students on growing food. They believe that gardening is a great way to build community, and they have recently merged with an organization that has similar values – Regenesis.
Regenesis is a Canadian community environmental organization, with chapters on various universities in Ontario. They believe in empowering students as initiators of change in addressing today’s social and environmental concerns, through advocacy and service in local chapters. Their Regenesis UofT chapter runs programming around sustainable food and waste diversion, and they will be opening a Youth Food Centre in the upcoming school year.
Regenesis UofT has adopted Dig In as an initiative and aims to help expand the work that is being done across the gardens at UTSU, Sid Smith, and the Anthropology Garden & Greenhouse operated by Samantha Lucchetta and Kristy Bard. Jessica Viau, Co-President of Regenesis UofT, says “Regenesis is a grassroots platform for student-driven environmental projects. We are excited to have Dig In join our growing family.”
Both groups aim to work together to secure better funding for their gardens. They plan on utilizing the new Youth Food Centre as the perfect space to host workshops and teach-ins. In addition, they hope to integrate their gardening projects into the academic curriculum of the New College Food Equity program.
Up and coming gardens are on the horizon for Dig In, such as re-installing a semi-hydroponic herb garden on the Faculty Club roof. They also have plans to collaborate with New College to garden a small walled courtyard off the Human Biology department, as well as establishing a garden at Wilson Hall.
But to do this, they need more people getting their hands dirty! Volunteers are at the core of what both Regenesis and Dig In do. “The more student volunteers we have, the more capacity we’ll have to grow.” Says Bard, “We envision a campus where food grows organically in every garden, and are tended and harvested by students and staff, with the food served in campus cafeterias and restaurants.” Dig In hosts growing sessions every Monday and Wednesday. Get involved here: http://utoronto.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=0e25ea64adfa7891685aee73d&id=1c7ac8d26b
Website:
https://campusagriculture.wordpress.com/
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/campusagriculture/
https://www.facebook.com/regenesistoronto/
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