Regenerative farming, community growing, and hands-on learning.
Ignatius Farm is a working organic farm rooted in the Ignatian tradition of caring for our common home. For more than three decades, the farm has been a place where food, ecology, and community come together on the land. Today, our work focuses on training new farmers, supporting community growers, stewarding shared resources, and strengthening local food systems in Guelph and Wellington County.
Ignatius Farm traces its roots to the decades when the Jesuits worked this land as part of their daily life and ministry, tending fields and gardens that supported the community and reflected a long tradition of stewardship. In the early 1990s, the farm opened more intentionally to the wider public, launching one of the region’s first community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs and offering organically grown vegetables to households across Guelph. Over time, the farm expanded to include community garden plots, small-plot acreage rentals, and hands-on ecological education.
By early 2025, the long-running CSA concluded to make space for a renewed focus on farmer training, agroecological land stewardship, and deeper community involvement. The spirit that shaped those early CSA days—connection, resilience, and shared responsibility—continues to guide the farm’s work today.
Farmer Training
Ignatius Farm is home to hands-on, land-based learning for aspiring farmers. Our training programs introduce participants to the principles and practices of agroecology: soil health, crop planning, seedling production, harvesting techniques, ecological stewardship, and the social dimensions of food systems. Trainees work directly on the land, gaining both technical skills and a deeper understanding of how food production and ecological care are interwoven.
Partnerships with local organizations and food networks help strengthen this learning environment and connect new farmers to mentorship and regional support.
Learn about Farmer Training at Ignatius Farm
New Farmer Training offers learning opportunities year around with the Internship Program running March through October.
Community Garden Plots
Hundreds of community members grow food at Ignatius Farm each year within our expansive garden plot program. Gardeners cultivate everything from vegetables and herbs to flowers and traditional crops passed down through families and cultures. Plots are rented seasonally and include access to water, compost, shared tools, and educational opportunities.
These gardens provide food security, cultural connection, and a welcoming environment for new growers and long-time gardeners alike.
Explore the Community Garden Plots at IJC
Discover what options are available for growing rich, nutritious food in local community.
Small Plot Acreage Rentals
For small-scale growers, ecological producers, and market gardeners, Ignatius Farm offers acreage rentals that support local food entrepreneurship. These larger parcels provide space to grow crops, trial new production methods, or build out small farm-based businesses. Tenants benefit from the farm’s long history of ecological management, as well as a supportive network of fellow growers working toward healthy and resilient food systems.
Rent Acreage at Ignatius Farm
Join a network of regenerative growers sharing knowledge and space at IJC.
The Community Care Box
The Community Care Box is a weekly produce program from Ignatius Jesuit Centre that connects fresh, organically grown food with farmer training, ecological stewardship, and community care. Produce is grown by staff, volunteers, interns, and trainees as part of hands-on learning in regenerative agriculture. Through an additional donation component, each box also helps provide fresh produce to local partners supporting stronger and more connected local food systems.
Support Food Local Food Security
Get fresh Ignatius Farm produce while supporting the wider community.
Community Orchard
Nestled along the trail system, the Community Orchard is home to heritage apple varieties and a growing collection of fruit trees. Volunteers and community members help prune, mulch, harvest, and care for the space throughout the year. The orchard is both a productive landscape and a gathering place—an example of how community stewardship can nurture ecological health and shared abundance.
Visit the Community Orchard
All are welcome to help care for this communal space at IJC.
Across all of its programs, Ignatius Farm remains rooted in the belief that food production is inseparable from ecological care. Healthy soil, thriving biodiversity, and thoughtful land stewardship are essential to the wellbeing of both people and the planet. The farm is a place to learn, grow, experiment, and connect—with the land, with food, and with one another. If you have additional question about Ignatius Farm, please reach out to our staff directly to learn more about any of the Farm’s programming.