TURTLE ISLAND GUARDIAN ALLIANCE

Program Design & Partner Engagement Underway

What We Plan To Provide

· Structured 80-hour program each year (approx. 25 hours classroom + 55 hours field) covering crop rotation and companion planting.

· Seeds, tools, equipment, supplies, and access to a training plot

· Instruction by a subject-matter expert (agriculture degree + experience)

· Mentorship: graduates help onboard future cohorts (community-building focus)

· Potential future modules (funding-dependent), e.g., animal husbandry

Planned Crop Examples

Ornamental plants/trees, fruit trees, strawberries, raspberries, potatoes, corn, and common garden vegetables

Who Can Participate?

First priority: participants connected to TIGA’s housing initiative. Expansion to other low-income community members as capacity grows. Intake includes a simple skills check to personalize learning.

No prior farming experience required.

What You Will Learn

· Land selection

· Core farming principles

· Crop rotation (what follows what)

· Companion planting (what grows well together)

· Seasonal planning

· Safe food handling

· Harvest & distribution

Sharing the harvest - Food Relief

Surplus produce from the program will be distributed biweekly to people in need in Greater Sudbury (including those experiencing homelessness or on income supports).

Eligibility is verified (e.g., tax return/NOA/income-expense statement).