Flour Mill Community Farm celebrates 10 years of growing food and opportunity

Marjan Massoom · CBC News

· Posted: Aug 22, 2026 1:03 PM EDT | Last Updated: August 22

What began as an idea shared by volunteers and neighbours has grown into a source of fresh food, employment and opportunity in Greater Sudbury’s Flour Mill neighbourhood.

The Flour Mill Community Farm celebrated its 10th anniversary this week, marking a decade of growth at the site in Ryan Heights.

For Destiny Roy, the farm’s program coordinator, reaching the milestone is a major achievement.

“It started off by just an idea that some volunteers and some neighbours and citizens in the community had,” Roy said. “Through the not-for-profits and the city and other sponsors, we were able to put it together.”

Roy was also involved in the farm's early days as a volunteer, when the operation was smaller and relied more heavily on volunteers and student interns. Today, the farm hires high school students from the area during the summer, giving young people work experience while involving them in the community.

The farm has also expanded physically over the years. New trellises installed this year allow for vertical gardening, while a drip irrigation system helps reduce evaporation and direct more water into the soil.

The growth has translated into more food for the community. Roy said the farm has produced about 900 kilograms of vegetables in each of the last two years, with the produce going back into the surrounding neighbourhood.

The farm is located in an area surrounded by geared-to-income housing, and Roy said affordability is an important part of its mission. Through its pay-what-you-can market, residents can choose how much they pay for fresh vegetables. Nearby schools are also invited to help plant at the beginning of the growing season, while volunteers can take home produce in exchange for their help.

Richard Picard, chair of the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation, said the organization provided a $46,000 donation to help the farm expand its programs and hire 10 seasonal staff.

“It also has an entrepreneurship component,” Picard said. “In terms of creating and taking the goods that are growing out of the garden and taking it to the market and selling it and understanding that whole process and maybe inspiring the future generation of entrepreneurs.”

Ward Coun. Mike Parent echoed the same idea, that the farm represents an investment in young people and their futures.

He said the students can earn money while also having the opportunity to see their work turn into something tangible — growing food and bringing it to market. The farm can also help families access fresh produce when the cost of fruit and vegetables is out of reach, he said.

However, the project has not been without challenges. 

Roy said securing funding to hire students has become more difficult in recent years because of changes to available summer employment programs. The farm has also dealt with occasional vandalism and damaged plants.

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Still, she said community support — including sponsorship from local businesses — has helped keep the project going.

Looking ahead, Roy hopes the farm can hire more students and expand into new programs, including canning, cooking and activities that bring seniors and younger residents together.

For now, she said a successful end to the farm's 10th season would mean seeing as much produce as possible returned to the community, “and seeing the students be happy that they enjoyed their work here,” Roy added.

Picard's hope for the next milestone is simple.

“My best wishes for the 10th anniversary is to see another 20 years,” he said.