STATUS: ACTIVE
WEBSITES: https://campusagriculture.wordpress.com/projects/
https://digin29.wixsite.com/website/about-1
ADDRESS:
University of Toronto, St. George Campus
CONTACT: digin@regenesis.eco
ABOUT THE PROGRAM:
Dig In Gardens is a decentralized network of student-led growing spaces across the University of Toronto, focused on building a more accessible, sustainable, and community-driven campus food system.
Rather than operating as a single garden, Dig In Gardens brings together multiple sites—ranging from ground-level plots to rooftop and greenhouse spaces—each adapted to its environment and supported by student volunteers, campus partners, and community collaborators. These gardens serve as living classrooms where students can learn how to grow food, develop skills in urban agriculture, and engage with broader issues like food insecurity, sustainability, and food sovereignty.
Produce grown in the gardens is often integrated into Dig In’s broader programming, including free meal initiatives and food literacy workshops, creating a direct link between growing food and increasing access to it on campus.
At its core, Dig In Gardens is about more than food production—it’s about cultivating community, reclaiming space for student-led initiatives, and reimagining what a university food system can look like when it is rooted in care, education, and collective action 🌱
Current and Former Garden Spaces:
- Sidney Smith (Sid Smith) Garden
- Lash Miller Garden (behind Lash Miller Hall)
- New College “New Roots” / Human Biology Garden
- UTSU Equity Garden (near Hart House)
- Anthropology Building Garden (19 Russell St)
- Anthropology Greenhouse (seed starting + workshops)
- Campus Co-op Garden (96 Spadina Ave)
- Wilson Hall balcony herb garden (New College)
- Faculty Club Rooftop Pollinator Garden (temporary, with bee project)
- Medical Sciences Building demo plots
KEY CHALLENGES:
- Short growing season in Toronto’s climate Limited and sometimes temporary access to land on campus
- Reliance on student turnover (knowledge loss year-to-year)
- Balancing education vs. food production output
- Ongoing need for funding and institutional support
KEY SUCCESSES:
- Created accessible entry points for students to learn how to grow food Strengthened connection between food production and food access programs Built a visible, hands-on sustainability initiative on campus Engaged students who might not otherwise participate in food justice work Contributed fresh produce to campus food initiatives
SERVICES:
- Campus food production (vegetables, herbs, culturally relevant crops)
- Student volunteer gardening programs
- Hands-on food literacy & growing workshops
- Community harvests and distribution Integration with Dig In’s meal programs
- Skill-building in urban agriculture & sustainability
TIMELINE
- Pre-2016 – Growing interest in campus-based food production at U of T
- 2016–2018 – Dig In launches and begins incorporating garden programming
- 2018–2019 – Expansion of student volunteer involvement and garden sites
- 2020–2021 – Gardens continue with adaptations during COVID (reduced access, focus on production)
- 2022–present – Re-expansion of workshops, volunteer days, and integration into broader food programming
GET INVOLVED:
Dig In is flexible to anyone in the community getting involved through volunteering.
No time commitment is necessary – people can volunteer whenever they
like (2 garden work days).
