Urban Agriculture
From our Green Barn in downtown Toronto to community gardens across city neighbourhoods, our programs bring people together to grow food, connect with nature, and learn sustainable growing practices. Participants harvest fresh produce and develop skills to take home and share.
Every year:
varieties of seedlings grown for our Seedling Giveaway Program
gardens supported with seedling distribution
seedlings distributed to partner community gardens
square feet of partner community gardens cultivated across the city
Community Gardening
The Stop’s greenhouse, sheltered garden, and partner community gardens provide growing spaces and inspiration to learn and share agricultural knowledge year-round.
Learning and Growing Together
The Stop’s greenhouse, sheltered garden, and partner community gardens provide growing spaces and inspiration to learn and share agricultural knowledge year-round.
Sharing the Harvest
The food grown in our gardens increases access to fresh ingredients and reduces barriers to healthy eating. Community members can bring fresh produce home to prepare meals and the harvest is also shared with The Stop’s food programs.
Supporting City Gardens
Every year, The Stop grows and distributes thousands of seedlings to community gardens across Toronto. This helps local groups grow fresh food, strengthen neighbourhood connections, and build a more sustainable and resilient food system.
The Stop's Green Barn
Home to a greenhouse, bake oven, compost demonstration centre, community gardens, and year-round Farmers’ Market our Green Barn at 601 Christie St. is a unique urban agriculture hub.
The Barn brings people together in downtown Toronto to learn how to grow their own food. Participants support one another and boost their own mental health by being active outdoors and bringing home healthy produce harvested from the garden.
Earlscourt Garden
Nestled in Earlscourt Park, this vibrant shared oasis is a place where people connect, learn, grow fresh food, and take a break from the daily grind by participating in every stage of the garden — from design and setup to planting, harvesting, maintenance, and winter closure. The fresh produce is then shared amongst our programs to feed our community.
Global Roots Program
Newcomer youth and seniors come together to learn and practice gardening, growing food, environmental stewardship, and healthy cooking in this partnership program with CultureLink. While seniors take charge of planning, young recruits do the heavy lifting. Together, they partake in the harvest and share it with The Stop’s food bank and drop-in meal programs.
Seedling Giveaway Program
Every spring, The Stop gives thousands of seedlings (grown organically in our greenhouse) to community gardens and individual growers across Toronto. This program increases access to fresh produce and bolsters local sustainable food systems by enabling communities to cultivate shared gardens and supporting individuals to grow their own food.
10 Metre Greens
Community members develop professional agricultural skills through training and mentorship at The Stop in cultivating, growing, harvesting, and selling organic microgreens. 10 Metre Greens is a hands-on learning environment, where participants bring their crops to market.
You can find them at The Stop’s Farmers’ Market every Saturday from January through March, and at Karma Co-op. Purchase 10 Metre Greens to add fresh flavour and nutrition to your salads, entrées, and smoothies—and to support a healthier, more equitable community.
Ways To Get Involved
Group Volunteering at The Stop
Bring your workplace, school, or community group together for a day to help to grow fresh food for the community. Group volunteer opportunities include gardening, seasonal planting and harvesting, and site maintenance.
Rent Our Space
Nestled within Wychwood Barns, The Stop’s Green Barn is a unique setting for select meetings, workshops, community gatherings, and special events. The space celebrates food, nature, and community. Rentals are subject to availability.
Attend an Urban Agriculture Workshop
Whether you're new to gardening or looking to expand your knowledge, The Stop’s workshops provide hands-on learning in a welcoming community year-round. Topics include seed starting, composting, growing food, and seasonal gardening.
Partner Organization
Na-Me-Res
The Stop supports the Sagatay program from Na-Me-Res (Native Men’s Residence) in animating Hillcrest Park Garden, which includes the Mashkikii;aki’ing (Medicine Earth) Medicine Wheel Garden. This partnership provides the men of the Apaenmowineen (Having Confidence in Oneself) program the opportunity to share teachings and learn more about plant medicine, gardening, and healthy living. By giving Indigenous individuals access to land and sharing traditional growing practices, the program aims to reduce social isolation and cultural dislocation.