In spring 2026, Canadian Organic Growers (COG) reached an exciting milestone by bringing its RBC In-Class and On-Farm Visit Program beyond Ottawa, Ontario for the first time. The expansion is part of COG’s Youth Programming initiative, a growing national effort that builds on more than 20 years of success of the Growing Up Organic program. Through the Youth Programming initiative, COG is expanding opportunities for children and youth across Canada to learn more about healthy food, agriculture, and the environment through hands-on experiences with local farmers.
As part of this expansion, the Eco Club at Homelands Senior Public School in Mississauga, Ontario participated in the RBC In-Class and On-Farm Visit Program, connecting students with local organic farmer Karen Hutchinson of Albion Hills Community Farm in Caledon, Ontario for an immersive learning experience that brought classroom lessons to life.
Learning from a Farmer
The program began with an in-class visit from Karen, who introduced students to organic and regenerative agriculture, local and global food systems, nutrition, pollinators, and careers in agriculture.
Drawing on her own experiences as a farmer, she helped students better understand where food comes from, how farming impacts the environment, and the important role farmers play in producing healthy food while caring for the land.
It is important for young people, and all people, to learn about where local food comes from.” – Student
Bringing Learning to the Farm
A few weeks later, students travelled to Albion Hills Community Farm to have their own firsthand experiences. The day was filled with hands-on activities. Students planted sunflowers, explored the market garden, worked in the pollinator garden, and fed the farm’s chickens while learning about the interconnected elements that make up a healthy farm ecosystem.
I enjoyed the bee visit when we got to put on the beekeeper suits, and I enjoyed planting the sunflowers.” – Student
One of the highlights of the visit was spending time with the farm’s honeybees. Dressed in beekeeper suits, students safely stepped into the fascinating world of bees and apiculture, learning how colonies communicate, the different roles bees play within the hive, and why pollinators are essential to our food system.
Building Connections to Food, Farming, and Nature
The experience had a meaningful impact on both the students and their teacher. Feedback provided from the teacher highlighted the value of combining classroom learning with hands-on farm experiences. The program aligned well with the Eco Club’s gardening and sustainability goals, and the teacher identified “the real-life connection to the farmer and the hands-on experience at the farm” as the most valuable part of the program.
After their day of experiential learning on the farm, students came away with a deeper appreciation for the connections between food, farming and the environment while also discovering the many exciting career opportunities that are available within the agriculture sector. With the median age of farmers in Canada at 65, inspiring a younger generation of farmers is essential to the stability of our food system. The RBC In-Class and On-Farm Visit program directly addresses this need by teaching youth about farm careers, local food economies, and community centered entrepreneurship.
Looking Ahead
Programs like the RBC In-Class and On-Farm Visit program demonstrate the power of connecting young people directly with farmers and local food systems. By combining classroom learning with hands-on farm experiences, students gain meaningful insights into where their food comes from, how farming impacts the environment, and the many opportunities that exist within agriculture.
As COG continues to expand its national Youth Programming initiative, more children and youth across Canada will have opportunities to build meaningful connections with food, farming, and the natural world through programs like this.
COG extends its sincere thanks to Karen Hutchinson and the team at Albion Hills Community Farm for sharing their knowledge, enthusiasm, and passion with students, and to the RBC Foundation for making experiences like these possible.