Our Initiatives
Kitchener Market Workshops
In August 2024, a vibrant learning space blossomed at the Kitchener Market as Harvest to Garnish launched its four-week summer workshop series for youth ages 12 to 17. Designed to promote food security, ecological literacy, and practical life skills, this initiative offered a unique blend of hands-on gardening and culturally rich cooking instruction.
Each week was designed with intentional programming that connected our participants back to their food in a holistic way. In the gardening sessions, we learned to plant and maintain a variety of vegetables using both traditional raised beds and modern hydroponic towers. From cucumbers and radishes to lettuce and basil cuttings, youth got their hands dirty while learning about sustainable growing methods and the grwoing need for urban agriculture.
In the kitchen, each lesson focused on nutrition, food justice, and global cuisine. Teens not only learned the science of macronutrients and micronutrients, but also used freshly harvested ingredients to cook international meals like Lahm bil Ajeen (a Levantine flatbread with meat), Chicken Suqaar (a popular Somali stir-fry), and Three Sisters Soup with Salmon (inspired by Indigenous food traditions). The final week highlighted spice blends and layered flavors, culminating in a Mexican-inspired feast of Burrito Bowls with Cambray Papitos.
More than a cooking class or gardening club, Harvest to Garnish is a holistic youth program addressing the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability. It provides post-secondary students with mentorship opportunities as instructors, offers teens a creative outlet and career-building experience, and uplifts communities through food sovereignty.
By the end of the program, participants walk away with more than just meals—they carry knowledge, confidence, and a deeper connection to nature, culture, and community. To explore the weekly highlights, tools used, and recipes cooked, visit our blog posts about the initiative.
CHCI Apple Orchard Field Trip
In November 2024, Harvest to Garnish took learning outside the classroom by guiding students from Cameron Heights Collegiate Institute through an enriching field trip focused on sustainability, food systems, and skill-building.
Bloomberg Philanthropies and the City of Kitchener collaborated to power this initiative through the Youth Climate Action Fund (YCAF)-supported initiative connected ecological literacy with hands-on culinary practice in a way that resonated with both students and instructors.
The day began with a chartered bus ride to The Apple Orchard Inc. in Hamilton, Ontario. Upon arrival, students were greeted with a guided orchard tour that highlighted the environmental importance of local farming. They explored different apple varieties, learned about sustainable harvesting practices, and each picked a basket of apples to bring back with them, creating not just a connection to the land but a personal investment in the food they would soon cook with.
Following the orchard tour, the group travelled back to the Kitchener Market Commercial Kitchen, where the second half of the day unfolded. Led by a Harvest to Garnish cooking instructor, students prepared apple-marinated chicken plates using the very fruit they had picked just hours earlier. In addition to learning food safety, knife skills, and how to balance flavours, students reflected on how sourcing locally reduces environmental impact and supports Ontario farmers.
Throughout the workshop, students explored the relationship between food and climate. They discussed how thoughtful food choices—like using local produce or minimizing food waste—can contribute to a more sustainable future. The recipe itself, a flavorful apple marinade paired with grilled chicken and seasonal vegetables, highlighted how simple ingredients can be transformed into nourishing, culturally relevant meals.
This field trip wasn’t just a break from routine—it was a deliberate investment in youth leadership, environmental stewardship, and community-based learning. Made possible through the support of the Youth Climate Action Fund, this initiative gave students resume-worthy experience while sparking conversations about climate resilience, food justice, and self-sufficiency.
As students returned to school with full bellies and fresh perspectives, they carried with them more than a bag of apples—they brought back skills, memories, and a deeper awareness of the land that feeds them.
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