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Ministry-approved title: Artisan Agriculture
Guided by a field-to-fork philosophy, the Horticulture – Food and Farming program prepares students to be leaders in the rapidly evolving food and farming sector. With a focus on sustainable food production, controlled environment, innovation, and entrepreneurship, students gain the skills and knowledge to meet the challenges of feeding growing urban populations while supporting local food systems.
Working in a one-of-a-kind environment, including a urban farm setting, you will learn to create the wholesome, locally produced food in demand by today’s consumers and how you can contribute solutions to communities looking to feed cities in creative and sustainable ways. In addition, students experience how agri-tourism brings urban residents to farming and will have an enhanced awareness of local food production and artisan product development.
By combining practical experience with a strong understanding of sustainability strategies and consumer trends learned in horticulture and food science courses, students are prepared to take on leadership roles in urban farming, local food advocacy, sustainable agricultural and product development.
Durham College (DC) offers pre-admission assessment testing to mature domestic applicants to meet admission requirements in English and/or math. Domestic applicants that are 19 years of age or older as of the start date of their program, and who do not have the required program credit(s) i.e., Grade 12 English and/or Grade 12 math are eligible to take an admissions assessment test.
Learn more about how to book Pre-Admission Assessment Testing here.
DC also offers Academic Upgrading. Courses are FREE and designed to help you meet the admissions requirements for this program. Available to individuals 18+, these courses are offered on-campus at DC. Boost your qualifications with:
Learn more about Academic Upgrading and connect with our team to get started.
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The best way to succeed in your field is to immerse yourself in it! Co-op is an excellent way to build your professional network, explore career paths and apply in-class teachings to real work situations. Co-op is a model of education that integrates academic learning with workplace learning in fields relevant to our students’ academic and personal goals.
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As the global population grows and the demand for sustainable food production increases, the need for skilled horticulturalists has never been greater. Urban farmers and market gardens play a vital role in addressing critical challenges such as food security, environmental sustainability, and the development of innovative agricultural practices. From cultivating nutrient-rich crops to advancing urban farming solutions, professionals in this field are shaping the future of how we grow, process, and distribute food. The Horticulture - Food and Farming program equips students with the expertise needed to thrive in this essential industry, combining hands-on experience with cutting-edge knowledge in agriculture, food production, processing, and sustainable farming techniques. Whether working on urban farms, managing greenhouses, or developing niche food products, horticulturalists are at the forefront of creating a more sustainable and resilient food system.
With more than 50 percent of your time spent in experiential learning opportunities in the labs and fields of the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food (Weston Centre), you will gain a unique hands-on opportunity to become familiar with the concepts that are critical to the food and agricultural industry, all within the context of a field-to-fork philosophy. You will learn in our fields, greenhouses, hoop house and state-of-the-art food chemistry and processing labs while planning for, planting, tending to and harvesting more than 50 varieties of produce, berry bushes, herbs and more. This practical training as you study urban agriculture ensures you’ll develop a deep understanding of traditional and modern farming techniques.
By developing your own value-added food products, you will have a greater knowledge and understanding of the opportunities that come with food production. This hands-on process allows students to explore innovative ways to extend the shelf life, flavour, or market potential innovative food processing techniques, bridging the gap between agriculture and food entrepreneurship. Whether you are interested in a career with a food company, managing a food operation, developing your own food product or owning a greenhouse or production farm, you will gain critical skills in modern farming concepts, food processing and food preservation to position you as an industry leader.
The Food and Farming program will offer you a hands-on opportunity to become familiar with the concepts of food production as you study agriculture and farming. You will focus on the following:
The program is offered at the college's Whitby campus, home of the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food. This incredible learning environment includes orchards, agricultural fields, greenhouses, food labs and more. Students also utilize the specialized laboratories at the 'Oshawa campus and participate in program-specific field trips throughout the academic year.
Students also have an opportunity to contribute to projects connected to the Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture. This unique centre is focused on advancing knowledge, opportunities and activities that will lead to greater sustainable urban farming activities in communities throughout Ontario and beyond.
Please note: students will be required to purchase green tag safety boots in order to participate in many laboratory settings.
Each summer, many students are selected for paid work opportunities in the fields and grounds of the Weston Centre. This allows them to build on the learning from their first year and take part in legacy projects.
Durham College's recently announced partnership with The Barrett Family Foundation will support the creation of a centre of excellence and a new urban farm in Durham Region. The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture will become an internationally recognized hub of excellence in urban agriculture practices, research, education and training, creating several new opportunities for students.
The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyDC.
Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.
In person
Students will come to campus to complete in-person learning requirements. Detailed schedules, with course-specific delivery information, will be available after registration. Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.
Your learning experience will be complemented by a field placement opportunity in food and farming. Students work on farms, in greenhouses, at food production operations, apiaries and with small food entrepreneurs.
Bringing together all the learning in the program, students complete a final semester capstone project that requires the development of a value-added food product. In addition, students have opportunities to showcase their product publicly.
Durham College also offers degree completion opportunities with a number of Canadian and international institutions. Sample diploma-to-degree opportunities include:
Please visit our pathways page to learn more about how you can transfer your credits towards a degree.
Looking for more pathway opportunities or to transfer to Durham College? Click here for more information.
To help students have the best learning experience possible, Durham College's IT Services department has identified technology recommendations for each program based on course needs and software requirements. While not required, students may want to consider these suggestions if they are purchasing a computer or laptop for the upcoming academic year.
Processor: i3 RAM: 4GB Storage: 256GB SSD Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional or Education x64 SP1 Internet Browser: Internet Explorer 11 or Google Chrome (newest version) or Firefox (latest version) Network Adapter: 802.11ac 2.4/5 GHz wireless adapter Camera: Webcam/built-in camera Internet connection
Questions regarding technology recommendations can be directed to the IT Service Desk or the school office.
Explore the incredible facilities that make the Horticulture - Food and Farming program at Durham College a one-of-a-kind learning experience. From the fields, orchards, and greenhouses of the W. Galen Weston Centre for Food to state-of-the-art food chemistry and processing labs, our spaces are designed to provide students with hands-on, real-world training.
Students in the Horticulture – Food and Farming Diploma program will be invited to apply to the co-op option during their first academic semester. Entrance to the co-op option is limited and the processes for securing a work term are competitive. Students enrolled in the co-op option are required to complete a four-month, paid work term between the second and third semesters of their program.
Supports are available through Experiential Learning to assist students with securing their work terms. In addition, Experiential Learning is in contact with co-op students and their employers during the work terms to help with any questions. Upon completing the work term, co-op students return to campus to complete their final two academic semesters of the program before graduating.
Once transferred to the co-op option of this program, students will have a co-op administrative fee of $475 assessed to their accounts during the academic semester(s) prior to scheduled work term(s). The administrative fee goes to support the broad array of support services provided to co-op students. These services are dedicated to support student success>
Find more information about the benefits of becoming a co-op student.
Find more information about the benefits of becoming a co-op employer.
E: co-op@durhamcollege.ca
Each summer, a number of students are selected for paid work opportunities in the fields and grounds of the Weston Centre. This allows them to build on the learning from their first year and take part in legacy projects.
Durham College's recently announced partnership with The Barrett Family Foundation will support the creation of a centre of excellence and a new urban farm in the Durham Region. The Barrett Centre of Innovation in Sustainable Urban Agriculture will become an internationally recognized hub of excellence in urban agriculture practices, research, education and training, creating a range of new opportunities for students.
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