Zawadi Farm

Zawadi Farm Reclaiming urban growing spaces in our city, helping us bridge the conversation about food security i

We take great pride in our methods of regenerative agriculture practice. Each produce is grown with meticulous care of the soil and its nutrients, to make sure they taste fantastic.

11/03/2025

Nine years ago, I was asked a simple question:
“How do I feed the city?”

Back then, I didn’t yet understand that food was political. That access to food isn’t equal and not by geography, race, or class.

I thought farming was just about growing food.

But I learned it’s about growing connection — between the seed and the city, between those who harvest and those who eat.

This season, Zawadi Farm had the privilege of working with the City of Toronto’s Shelter and Support Services, feeding hundreds across the city with food grown right here in Toronto soil.

From our fields to Scarborough Village kitchens and other shelters across the city, our produce became meals that nourished not just bodies, but dignity and belonging.

This project reminded us of why we exist, to make food a shared right, not a privilege. To reconnect urban life with the land beneath it.

And to build systems that feed people and heal communities.

The work isn’t done.
But every carrot, every box, every meal shared brings us one step closer to a Toronto where food truly belongs to everyone.

11/03/2025

How the NeighbourLink North YorkFood Hub Works with Zawadi Farm

At Zawadi Farm, we believe food has the power to connect, beyond simply to nourish. Through our partnership with , we’ve built a bridge between local growers and local families right here in Toronto.

Here’s how it works:
Produce grown at Zawadi Farm — fresh, seasonal, and nutrient-rich — is harvested and delivered directly to the Food Hub, where it’s distributed to families experiencing food insecurity. This connection ensures that healthy, locally grown food doesn’t just end up in high-end markets — it reaches the tables of those who need it most.

But this partnership is more than logistics — it’s a living model of community care.
It demonstrates what’s possible when local farms, social organizations, and neighbours come together to design food systems that are both resilient and just. It’s about closing the loop: the same soil that feeds our community sustains the people it nourishes.

Every bunch of kale, every tomato, every container of microgreens from Zawadi Farm that reaches NeighbourLink’s Food Hub represents a step toward food sovereignty — where communities define how food is grown, shared, and valued.

This partnership is proof that when farms and food banks align, we don’t just fight hunger

— we grow hope.

11/03/2025

Zawadi Farm 2025 Season Recap

This season has been a lesson in gratitude, perseverance, and community.

As we close the 2025 growing season, I want to take a moment to thank every one of our Farmshare members, supporters, and funders who believed in Zawadi Farm’s mission to grow food — and hope — right here in the city.

This year wasn’t without its challenges. We faced shifting weather patterns, tighter resources, and the ongoing work of building a new home for our operations at Downsview Park. Yet through it all, your belief in us kept the soil rich and our spirits strong.

We launched new partnerships, hosted workshops that reconnected youth and soil, expanded our community markets, and took another step toward transforming the barn into a thriving hub for food, art, and gathering. Each milestone was rooted in the trust and encouragement you offered.

2026 is shaping up to be a powerful year of growth — the barn doors opening fully, the café coming to life, and a deepening of our programs that center on land stewardship, community learning, and regenerative abundance.

Thank you for walking this journey with us. The seeds we’ve planted together are only beginning to show what’s possible.

Special mention



.. To our private supporters, WE THANK YOU

—
Founder, Zawadi Farm

Grateful for the Salesforce Volunteer Team 2 at Zawadi Farm.In one powerful afternoon, they laid 800+ ft of wood-chipped...
11/03/2025

Grateful for the Salesforce Volunteer Team 2 at Zawadi Farm.

In one powerful afternoon, they laid 800+ ft of wood-chipped pathways and packed 300+ bags of salad greens—keeping our beds accessible and getting fresh food to our community.

Special thanks to Climate Week volunteers and the crew for joining us during and amplifying community-led climate action.

Want to bring your team out? Reach out DM us to schedule a corporate volunteer day.

Start your native pollinator garden this fall.• Deep roots now → abundant blooms in spring• Less water, healthier soil• ...
11/03/2025

Start your native pollinator garden this fall.

• Deep roots now → abundant blooms in spring
• Less water, healthier soil
• Habitat for bees, butterflies, and birds

We plan, plant, and maintain across the GTA. Limited fall install slots—message us to secure yours.

Flowers are in full bloom at our Downsview Park location Incredible workFind the flowers at our weekend markets or come...
08/30/2025

Flowers are in full bloom at our Downsview Park location
Incredible work
Find the flowers at our weekend markets or come on through to the farm and experience the magic

Food and Culture as Healing: A Community Garden Rooted in Mental WellnessZawadi Farm was honored to join our partners an...
07/14/2025

Food and Culture as Healing:
A Community Garden Rooted in Mental Wellness

Zawadi Farm was honored to join our partners and community members at Victory Hall in Mississauga to launch our collaborative project:
“Food and Culture as Healing: An Intergenerational Community Garden to Address the Burden and Impacts of Type-2 Diabetes in Black Low-Income Communities.”

This initiative reflects the core of our mission—land-based healing as a pathway to mental well-being, food sovereignty, and cultural reconnection.

Across biweekly sessions, we will facilitate hands-on training, cultivate Afro-diasporic crops, and hold space for elders and youth to connect through food, memory, and movement.

The raised beds at Victory Park are just the start—what we are truly building is resilience.

Key Mental Health Benefits:

Hands-in-the-soil activities reduce anxiety and foster emotional grounding

Predictable routines support mental regulation and trauma recovery

Intergenerational participation strengthens identity and belonging

Project Collaborators:
Black Health & Social Services Hub
Ascention Our Lord Catholic Secondary School
– Institute for Better Health

Network for Healthy Populations
Zawadi Farm Education Team

We thank our collaborators and community advisors for shaping this project with care. This is what a garden grown in justice looks like.

At Zawadi Farm, every certificate tells a story—of growth, responsibility, and transformation.Through our partnership wi...
05/16/2025

At Zawadi Farm, every certificate tells a story—of growth, responsibility, and transformation.
Through our partnership with TDSB, we’re planting more than seeds. We're nurturing the next generation of soil stewards, urban growers, and city farmers. These young minds aren't just learning how to grow food—they're learning how to care for the land, their community, and their future.

Each participant leaves our program with new knowledge, new purpose, and a certificate that recognizes their power to reshape our food systems from the roots up.

Let’s build a food-resilient Toronto, together.

At Zawadi Farm, everything begins with the soil.Today marks an exciting step forward—we’ve partnered with and to build...
05/13/2025

At Zawadi Farm, everything begins with the soil.

Today marks an exciting step forward—we’ve partnered with and to build a healthier future from the ground up. Together, we're establishing a baseline soil analysis—a starting point to understand what lives beneath our feet, what it needs, and how we can steward it better.

Why does this matter?
Soil isn’t just dirt. It’s a living ecosystem that feeds our crops, stores carbon, filters water, and supports biodiversity. Healthy soil means nutrient-rich food, resilient plants, and a more climate-secure future.

By learning from and alongside fellow farmers, we’re committed to:

Reducing tillage and disturbance
Boosting organic matter
Encouraging microbial life

Creating a system that gives back more than it takes

This isn't just about growing food—it's about regenerating life.

Follow along as we document our journey into soil health—because what we grow above depends on what we care for below.

Today our Zawadi Land Stewardship team is at North Albion Collegiate Institute, working alongside their amazing students...
04/28/2025

Today our Zawadi Land Stewardship team is at North Albion Collegiate Institute, working alongside their amazing students to bring new life to their courtyard!
Part of our courtyard rehabilitation project, this collaboration is all about growing community, resilience, and green spaces together.

Thank you for your trust and your time Polaris Transportation Group.
04/23/2025

Thank you for your trust and your time Polaris Transportation Group.

Hey, Toronto—ever wonder what would happen if our grocery stores suddenly ran out of the fresh fruits and veggies we lov...
03/05/2025

Hey, Toronto—ever wonder what would happen if our grocery stores suddenly ran out of the fresh fruits and veggies we love?

Here’s a surprising truth: big supermarkets often have only about three days of stock, much of which depends on imports crossing our borders daily.

If those borders close or something disrupts supply, we could see empty shelves faster than you’d think.

But there’s hope. Studies show that smaller, local farms are more reliable in times of crisis because they don’t rely on long-haul trucks or international shipments.

They can adapt quickly, grow various crops, and deliver them straight to the community—fresher and with fewer food miles.

At Zawadi Farm, we’re part of that solution. We’re a local, small-scale farm working hard to grow nutritious fruits and vegetables for our neighbors. By supporting local farms like ours, you help:

Strengthen Food Security: Each lettuce head, tomato, or pepper grown locally is one less item we have to import or risk losing when borders close.

Boost the Local Economy: Instead of sending that money elsewhere, every dollar spent on local produce supports your region’s farmers, families, and small businesses.

Enjoy Fresher, Healthier Produce: We harvest at the peak of flavor, so your weekly box arrives tasting amazing, bursting with vitamins, and lasting longer in your fridge.

Imagine a Toronto that isn’t scrambling for supplies in the face of sudden disruptions. A city where grocery shelves stay stocked because we have robust local farms ready to deliver. That’s the world we’re building—one CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share at a time.

When you sign up for Zawadi Farm’s CSA program, you invest in a stronger, more resilient community and enjoy better-tasting produce.

Ready to join us? Drop a comment or visit our profile link to learn more about how you can support local and keep Toronto thriving!

Address

160 Downsview Park Boulevard
Toronto, ON
M3K0C8

Telephone

+14168035377

Website

https://zawadi-farm.localline.ca/zawadi-farm

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Our Story

We aim is to create physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

Every week, we deliver fresh greens from our farm to peoples homes. Engaging them the conversation about nutrition, recipes, and what it means to support local farmers.

Once a month, we also sell our produce to our low income community fresh food market in partnership with Toronto Community Housing and Foodshare Toronto.