Collective Farming Toolkit for Community Growing
Kiana Simmons
Ottawa
Kiana’s project documents successful community farming initiatives in Ottawa and compiles years of knowledge into a guidebook designed to help groups create their own sustainable and community-rooted collective growing programs.
A Year of Collective Growth
The Collective Farming Toolkit grew from several successful community farming initiatives in the Ottawa area that brought people together over the shared goal of producing local food and sharing the labour of running an organic farm. Kiana chose to document these models so that other groups and farms could start their own projects and access knowledge gained from more than six years of experience at Growing Together Community Farm and the Vege Collectif. Their passion for bringing people together over food began at Beetbox Farm in 2020, where they discovered their love of growing food and helped scale the community farm program to feed 80 people on a half-acre of land. As an Ontario Community Changemaker, they wanted to support communities beyond their own to establish impactful collective growing projects.
There has been significant interest among farmers and community groups in understanding how community farms operate and what is required to establish one. After a full year of observing and documenting the program, Kiana compiled tools and resources to help others develop their own collective growing programs. The guidebook includes helpful information, lists of tools and supplies, policies, and sample farming materials, such as a crop plan, harvest plan, and seeding schedule.
This project sparked essential conversations about land and food access, how to keep non-farmers invested in the work required to grow enough food for a community, and the future of the local food system. It also helped raise awareness of new models of community growth beyond community gardening, encouraging people to consider how groups work together when their shared goal is to produce enough food for themselves and other participants.
This project demonstrated that food and the work involved in growing it can be a catalyst for connection.
Kiana spoke with many people who found their sense of place in this farming community. While participants might initially join because of the amount of food a group can produce, the connections they formed while working in the field quickly became the most meaningful part. Housing opportunities, job opportunities, artistic collaborations, friendships, and support systems emerged throughout the documentation process. Although the guidebook focuses on practical tools for running collective growing programs, Kiana observed that the community-building elements are the most valuable.
It was challenging to prioritize observation and documentation during the busy farm season. Running a farm is no light task, and Kiana learned that efficiency is not always the most important thing. Remembering that connection and enjoyment keep people engaged was key. During the project, they met many farmers, toured farms, and spoke with farmers at markets and in fields about organic farming, land access, staffing, and the challenges of small-scale farming. Growing Together Community Farm expanded to include more than 100 community members this season, five times as many as in its first year.
Kiana applied to the OCC program to mobilize years of community farming knowledge. They learned that their work is strengthened when done with others and that a strong support system is essential. Editing, graphic design, information compilation, and photos included in the guidebook were all sourced from their community. Participating in the program enabled them to provide on-farm support while also stepping back to ask questions, speak with participants, and identify issues that could be documented.
I learned that as a changemaker, my work is strengthened when working with others.
This project helped Kiana build confidence as a leader. Since starting OCC, they left a job to start their own business, became the coordinator of a local farming conference, undertook their own growing project, and will begin selling vegetables from their micro-farm next year. They remain grateful for the OCC community of leaders who believed in them and inspired their continued work.
The guidebook is now in its final editing stages and will soon be added to the Growing Together Community Farm website. Kiana hopes it will continue to spark conversations about collective growing and plans to seek support next season to help new farms and community groups implement the model. They dream of a future where everyone has enough to eat, and where communities steward land and build food systems that rely on local growers rather than large grocery monopolies.
About Kiana Simmons
Kiana is a community farmer, facilitator, event coordinator, and artist with a passion for bringing people together over a shared love of food. Their background in municipal sustainability led them to farming as a pathway to a climate-resilient future. They joined the Community Farm program at Beetbox Farm in 2020 and helped scale the project to feed 80 community members on a half-acre of land.
Instagram: @kianasimmons
LinkedIn: @Kiana Simmons
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