The ASKÎY PROJECT [Youth INTERNSHIP]

The askîy project is an urban agriculture internship that engages both Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth to learn together about growing, harvesting, and selling food through an innovative model. Its five key focus areas are: growing food and food skills, enhancing cultural connections, promoting environmental sustainability, creating social enterprise, and engaging youth.

Growing Site

The askîy project’s current garden site is known as ketayak community kistikana (Elders Community Garden in northern Michif language). ketayak is located on Avenue H South in the heart of Riversdale, adjacent to the Riversdale King George Community Garden. The garden sits on the site of the former Riversdale Lawn Bowling Club. Unused until spring 2021, ketayak is now abundantly cultivated with veggies, herbs, flowers, berries and more. 

How We Sell Our Produce 

The produce grown through the askîy project is made available in the community in several ways:  

  • The askîy CSA box is a way for community members to support the project throughout the year by purchasing a subscription and receive a box of fresh vegetables and herbs regularly throughout the growing season.  
  • Through local food retail outlets, select restaurants, food trucks, and CHEP’s Community Markets.  

To learn more about where to find our produce, contact us at the following: [email protected] 

Educational Opportunities 

Apart from growing an abundance of produce, ketayak community kistikana hosts educational workshops, demonstrations, group tours, volunteer groups, and the CHEP Sprouts Day Camp. 

Past Growing Sites 

Until 2021, kiscikânis, our container garden site on 19th street west (near Station 20 West), was the main askîy project site. kiscikânis means ‘garden’ in Cree. This area is considered a “brownfield” site: a former industrial site that may have soil contamination. Because of this, kiscikânis used over 400 repurposed blue food-grade plastic containers for growing all the produce for the project. In 2017, the askîy project won best small project at the national Brownie Awards, recognizing projects that re-purpose brownfield sites in positive ways. 

The Space on H 

Adjacent to ketayak is the Space on H. This community centre provides a physical space to engage, educate, and empower community members with food production, experiential nature-based education and activity, sport, and community programming year-round. Through this project, community volunteers and non-profit.

 

Keep up with the askîy Project 

For more information or inquiries about volunteering in the garden contact: [email protected]