Rooted In Soil

Good soil. Good food. Better health. Stronger communities.

Rooted in Soil is the opening chapter of The Power of Food — a new workshop series from Zawadi Farm that traces the story of nourishment from the ground up. This first evening starts where every good meal actually begins: in the soil.

Healthy soil drives nutrient cycling. Nutrient cycling drives crop rotation planning. And crop rotation planning — done well — is what turns a garden or a market plot into a reliable source of nutrient-dense food. Over one evening at the Barn, you'll walk the fields, hear from the people who study and steward that process, and sit down to a farm-to-table dinner that puts it all on the plate.

What to Expect

• A guided walk through Zawadi Farm's growing beds
• An accessible opening session on soil, compost, and crop rotation for backyard and small-garden growers
• Expert talks on the science of soil health and the soil-to-food-to-health connection
• A dinner catered by Meza Group
• A deep-dive session on crop planning and rotation for market-scale growers

Who It's For

Home gardeners curious about what's actually happening in their soil, and market gardeners ready to go deeper on planning a season around it. Come for either — stay for the whole story.

The Evening

Time

Session

4:00 – 4:30 PM

Arrival, Registration & Farm Tour

4:30 – 4:40 PM

Welcome & Opening Remarks

4:40 – 5:20 PM

Soil Basics for Backyard & Small Gardens

5:20 – 5:50 PM

The Science of Good Soil — Alexandre Parrott-Mautner (Ryzome Environmental)

5:50 – 6:20 PM

From Soil to Food to Health — Dr. Frank Nhan (Curate Health)

6:20 – 7:00 PM

Dinner, catered by Meza Group

7:00 – 8:30 PM

Crop Planning & Rotation for Market Gardeners — Arlene Throness (TMU Urban Farm)

8:30 – 8:50 PM

Q&A / Open Discussion

8:50 – 9:00 PM

Closing Remarks & Networking

Your Speakers

• Arlene Throness — Manager, Urban Farm at Toronto Metropolitan University. Leading the evening's headline session on crop planning and rotation for market gardeners.
• Alexandre Parrott-Mautner — Founder, Ryzome Environmental. Speaking on the science of healthy, living soil.
• Dr. Frank Nhan — Curate Health. Speaking on how soil quality carries through to food quality and human health.

Tickets

This event runs on a sliding scale — pay what fits, knowing that Supporter tickets help make Community tickets possible.

Tier Description

Community — $55

An accessible entry point for anyone who wants to be part of this evening. Priced near the true per-plate cost, not the full share of the event's overhead — because this workshop should be reachable, not exclusive.

Standard — $115

The rate most attendees choose. Covers your own seat, the full program, and dinner, plus a fair share of the evening's costs.

Supporter — $185

For those in a position to give a little more. Your ticket helps hold space for Community-rate seats, so cost isn't a barrier to anyone who wants to be here.

Where & When

Where: The Barn, Zawadi Farm — 160 Downsview Park Blvd, North York, ON M3K 0C8

When: Monday, September 28 · 4:00 – 9:00 PM

Good soil. Good food. Better health. Stronger communities. Let's grow together.