After a number of years of backyard gardening, compost making, and compost tea brewing in East York, Crooked Farmz was first visioned in the fall of 2018 and opened to the public in spring 2019. We’re now entering our sixth season of business.

A few highlights:

2019- Our first season, operating out of a 750-sq.ft backyard microfarm, with 23 dates total to sell freshly-brewed compost tea at Withrow Park and Cabbagetown Farmers’ Markets. Compost tea is also available as a 4-issue monthly subscription with home delivery: 6 subscriptions sold in the first season. Won first prize in the DIY Innovation category at the Toronto Urban Growers’ Best in GrowTO urban gardening competition for improvements to an urban thermophilic composting method. 

2020- COVID-19 pandemic leads to major increases in home gardening, but also major restrictions on farmers’ markets. 6 dates total at Withrow Park. Formal re-launch of subscription program as a CSA package, which includes home delivery: 13 subscribers join. Beginning of bulk sales to professional clients. Won first prize in the Professional Innovation category at Best in GrowTO with an inexpensive design for a scalable compost tea brewer.

2021- A focus on the CSA subscription program grows the base to 51 subscribers. Formal launch of our Pro Desk program, which brews compost tea in bulk quantities for professionals on demand: immediate uptake in Toronto horticulture market. Farmers’ markets: 13 dates total between Withrow Park and Leslieville. Crooked Farmz won the Innovation category for the third time at Best in GrowTO with an open source schematic for producing quality biodiverse composts in a limited footprint.

2022- Farmers’ markets: 18 dates total between Withrow Park, Leslieville, and Sorauren, plus 4 pickup-point dates at Downsview Park. CSA numbers drop by 80% attrition but then rebound to 37 subscribers. Development of agricultural and arboricultural Pro Desk markets. Signed a 5-year lease with Fresh City Farms for a 2,500 sq.ft growing space at the Downsview Park Farmers’ Project and began improving soil later in October.

2023- Farmers’ markets: 23 dates total at Withrow Park, Leslieville, Sorauren, East Lynn, Eglinton Way, and The Stop at Wychwood Barns, plus 12 pickup-point dates at Downsview Park, Toronto Native Plant Market, and Cuadra Urban Homestead. CSA program grows to 64 subscribers. Formal launch of CRAY@Downsview (the Compost Research Array at Downsview Park Farm), which includes a compost workshop teaching facility, Three Sisters lunar garden and permaculture space, Johnson-Su demonstration farm, and the beginning of a landrace squash breeding project.