By: Giovanna Loureiro and Rhiannon Moller-TrotterBlack Creek Community Farms is a local staple in Downsview. The farm is dedicated to helping the area flourish through organic initiatives and outdoor education.The land used to be occupied by Toronto Urban Farms, which was fully funded by the City of Toronto. Black Creek then took over when funding for Toronto Urban Farms halted, and it is now in its fourth operating season. Black Creek Community Farms is an urban agricultural center that teaches members of the community how to utilize their lands to grow vegetables, and wants to encourage those in the area to use the facilities.Leticia Boahen, who runs the farm, has been a Downsview resident since she was 12 years old. She is constantly promoting agricultural education through farm schools and camps for elementary and high school students, outdoor environmental education and experiences, and many other events and activities.The farm offers a youth internship program that helps the young people gain experience in urban agriculture and teaches them how to start their own farms and engage community members to do the same. The farms offers many festivals, fundraisers, volunteer opportunities, and camps that run from January all the way through to November.Be sure to check out their website and the farm itself for more information on how to benefit from healthy initiatives taking place right in Downsview. The farm is an ideal spot for trail walks and picnics, and there is no charge for these opportunities.For more information visit or call:www.blackcreekfarm.ca / (416) 393-6381