Busses at Cedar Glen


YMCA Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre proudly operates a 2-acre, ecological farm in Schomberg. During the summer, we harvest delicious, healthy vegetables for our Harvest Share members and provide educational experiences through our Summer Day Camp programs and Outdoor Education programs. It takes a lot of hard work to run a farm, but our passion for sharing the benefits of locally grown food makes it well worth it.

Click on the icons below to learn more.

About Our Farm

icon of box of produce

YMCA Harvest Share
Program

Farm Programming

Getting Involved

 

icon of box of produce

 

About Our Farm

Farmer picking harvest from the farm

Our “Gentle” Farming Cultivates Biodiversity

It all begins with the soil, the rich bed of nutrients that give our vegetables vitamins and flavour. Our gentle, low-tillage method of farming allows the natural processes in the soil to occur, such as the growth of microbes and small critters, and improves the soil structure. Our aim is to let the ecosystem regenerate and flourish with as little disturbance as possible.

Our Produce

On farms like ours that are using gentle farming methods, it is much like a backyard garden but on a much larger scale. All the space and rich, healthy soil allows us to cultivate an incredible variety of vegetables. We love teaching the community about the diversity of vegetables growing on Ontario farms. Here is what we grow each year!

icon of box of produce

Harvest Share Program

Bags of fresh harvests from the farm

Bags of fresh harvests from the farm

Are you passionate about ecologically-grown, community-supported agriculture, and local produce? Taste the difference of farm-grown veggies cultivated right here in Schomberg. Members of our Harvest Share can enjoy a diverse mix of seasonal veggies every week during the summer months.

 

  • Veggies are harvested just hours before pick up so they are as fresh as can be for your enjoyment.
  • Experience the broad variety of vegetables grown here in Ontario during the bountiful summer season.
  • Feel the satisfaction of supporting our community of small scale farmers and farm education programs.
  • 7 pick up locations available across Greater Toronto

 

Register Now!

 

Why a Harvest Share?


A Harvest Share is so much more than the delicious vegetables that end up on your table. When you become a Harvest Share member, you are showing your support for the work of a local farm which values sustainable and responsible growing practices. You are also helping to support our farm community and our educational programs that nurture the next generation of sustainable farms and farmers.


From all of us to you, thank you for considering becoming a member and helping to support our community and charity!

three people packing the produce

 

Which vegetables will I receive every week?

 

One of the benefits of purchasing a Harvest Share is receiving fresh, seasonal vegetables picked just hours earlier. Below is a calendar with the approximate growing season of each vegetable. You can expect some of the timing might change depending on the weather! Be assured we will always let you know which veggie varieties to expect a few days before your scheduled pick up.

Click on the link below to see our seasonal growing season.

Seasonal Calendar

  Late Spring Early Summer Summer Late Summer Early Fall Late Fall
Basil   V   V      
Beans   V        
Beets   V      V  V
Bok Choy  V          
Broccoli   V        
Cabbage   V      V  
Carrots   V       V V 
Celeriac        V    
Celery        V    
Cucumber   V  V      
Cured Garlic          V  
Eggplant      V  V    
Flowers      V      
Garlic      V      V
Green Onions  V  V        
Green Garlic  V          
Ground Cherries      V  V    
Kale  V  V      V V
Lettuce  V          
Onions        V  V V
Parsley    V  V      
Peas    V        
Peppers      V  V  V  
Potatoes          V  V
Radish  V        V  
Spinach  V          V
Swiss Chard  V          
Tomatoes      V  V  V  
Tomatillos        V    
Turnip  V        V  V
Kohlrabi  V          
Winter Squash          V V
Zucchini    V        

Note: Every season is different. A warm spring could impact broccoli production, but produce peas earlier than usual; a mild winter can increase pest pressure in the spring; a wet summer can bring on diseases earlier than usual in tomatoes, etc. The magic of a community-supported agriculture food box product is in the partnership with the farmer: bridging the gap between consumer and producer. We are always trying new strategies to mitigate these climactic and environmental risk, but when growing upwards of 40 different crops some failures are expected.

Furthermore, we are constantly experimenting with rare or difficult-to-grow crops such as radicchio, fennel, rutabaga, heirloom squashes, etc. There may be weekly surprises of new-to-you crops - and we'll gladly share recipe and preparation ideas!

What quantity of vegetables can I expect?


You can expect a generous serving of each vegetable. (In fact, you might find yourself giving some away to lucky friends!) Here is how we portion each variety:


Bags Leafy greens like lettuce and spinach
Pints Fruit vegetables like cherry tomatoes and ground cherries
Bunches Greens with stems like kale and chard; roots with leaves like carrots and beets
Weight Large fruit vegetables like eggplants and peppers; root vegetables like potatoes
Units Fruits and vegetables like squashes and melons
packed long beans, zucchinis and greens on a table ready for sale

7 Pick Up Locations to Choose From

Membership offerings differ slightly based on your selected pick-up . Select your preferred location to get started!

Pick up from Cedar Glen
  • YMCA Cedar Glen Farm
 Pick up from another YMCA location

Summer/Fall Late Fall

Summer/Fall Late Fall

Pick Up Location FAQ

How many veggies will I receive each week?

The number of vegetables will change based on the time of the season, but you can expect an average of 6 vegetable types each week. We will let you know a few days ahead of time which varieties you’ll get in your Harvest so that you can plan accordingly.

We’ve included a measurement chart (found above) to give you an idea of the quantities you can expect.

How many people will a weekly share feed?

The number of people the share will feed will differ based on how many vegetables you typically eat. On average, your Harvest Share bag should be sufficient to feed a couple or a small family. However, because of the seasonal nature of vegetables, you may wish to continue to supplement your share with other vegetables that you typically cook with.

What if I cannot pick up my share one week?

If you cannot pick up your share one week, you can either send someone to pick up the share on your behalf, or donate your share to the centre to feed our farm visitors. We ask that you notify staff ahead of time.

Shares will not be stored overnight at your pick-up location. This is for safety reasons as the bags, which are insulated and keep the vegetable cool for a few hours, will not be stored in a refrigerator overnight. Staff members at your pick-up location are instructed to dispose of the vegetables when the center closes at night.

What if there’s a vegetable I don’t want to receive?

If there’s a veggie you don’t like, let us know and we’ll do our best to keep it out of the mix for you!

Where do I pick up my vegetables?

To preserve the freshness of your vegetables, we will store them in an insulated bag or a cooler from the time they get dropped off by our farm team member to the moment you pick them up at your Center. This will keep them fresh for up to 4 - 6 hours. You will receive an email to inform you that your share has been dropped off. We recommend you pick them up in a timely manner to insure freshness and food safety.

farm stand

Local Veggies Weekly From Our Farm Stand


Visit YMCA Cedar Glen to purchase fresh ecologically-grown vegetables from our farm stand. See the beautiful farm where your food was grown. Days and hours are dependent on weather conditions and seasonal availability. Call ahead for hours: 289-926-8659

 

icon of box of produce

 

Farm Programming

Child washing hands

 

One of the main goals of the farm is to be a space for hands-on education, through our unique programming.  During the summer months, we welcome and host enthusiastic young campers of YMCA Summer Day Camp programs to participate in our farm camp. The farm is a perfect place for them to make discoveries about nature and how things are grown.

We also welcome the public during special days of the year and are happy to facilitate educational programming experiences for Outdoor Education groups. To book on behalf of a group, please contact cedarglen@ymcagta.org.

Keeping you safe is our first priority. Here’s how we’ve enhanced your Y experience to help keep everyone as safe as possible at camp.

Learn More

woman leading educational tour at the farm

Farm Camp

Farm camp is about experiencing all aspects of food production, from the planning of a garden, to seeding and planting, to caring for plants, and finally harvesting and tasting. A week at farm camp gives a chance to try farming in an interactive and kid-friendly manner.

Learn More

icon of box of produce

Getting Involved

group photo of the volunteers front of sunflowers field

One thing that makes YMCA Cedar Glen Farm unique are the people. A farm is a collective creation of each person’s actions and values. It reflects who people are and how they work together to plant, care, and harvest.

Harvest Share Members

The members who support the farm by signing up for a harvest share are the people who believe in the farm even before the growing season has started. During the cold season, they decide to join the adventure by giving the farm the means to create the farm from seeds. The Harvest Share members’ support makes it possible to plant the farm every spring.

Sign up to be a Harvest Share Member

Summer Day Campers

Buzzing bees and crickets is the usual soundtrack you’ll hear walking the farm. But during the months of July and August, children’s laughter and sounds of surprise take the forefront. Their enthusiasm brings a high level of energy to the farm. The farm is the background to their daily discoveries of nature and how food grows.

Learn about Summer Day Camps

Volunteers

So much work is accomplished on the farm with the help of volunteers every season. From individuals who dedicate weekly hours to the farm to corporate volunteer days. Every effort makes a significant impact on the farm’s success. Volunteers help with the creation of new projects like assembling the shelter space for Farm Campers or day-to-day tasks like caring for the crops.

Become a Volunteer

Employees

Our farming team is passionate about sharing the great benefits of farming with the community. Our team consists of a farm coordinator, farm workers, an assistant farm worker, and a farm educator. Each one of these roles is integral to the farm’s success. Click below to see if there are currently any vacancies!

Work for the Y

Inquiries: 289-926-8659. CedarGlen.Farm@ymcagta.org.

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