YMCA CEDAR GLEN OUTDOOR CENTRE

Harvest Share Program

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 and fall 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 and fall seasons.
Feel the satisfaction of supporting our community of small scale farmers and farm education programs.
Convenient locations available across the Greater Toronto Area: Cooper Koo, YMCA Downsview Park, YMCA at The David Braley Vaughan Centre, West End YMCA and North York YMCA

Why 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!

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

Pick up from Cedar Glen

YMCA Cedar Glen Farm

Fall

Pick up from another YMCA location

Fall

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 Share 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. Deliveries arrive on delivery days anytime between noon and 3pm, depending on your centre. We recommend you pick them up in a timely manner to insure freshness and food safety.

Local Veggies Weekly From Our Farm Stores

Visit YMCA Cedar Glen or Fresh City Farms at Downsview Park to purchase fresh ecologically-grown vegetables from our farm stores. See the beautiful farm where your food was grown, buy some produce and stock up on extras from the farm like honey and eggs. Days and hours are dependent on weather conditions and seasonal availability. For more info on the farm stores please reach out: 289-926-8659