Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada have confirmed that all roads and parking lots in the Central Experimental Farm are now reopened. For the safety of all, please continue to respect COVID-19 guidelines and practice safe physical distancing and appropriate behaviour.
The Friends of the Central Experimental Farm office remains closed for the time being, but you can still reach us by email or on Facebook! Events and volunteer activities are postponed or cancelled until we receive notice from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Your questions answered:
Do we host weddings?
When is the tropical greenhouse open?
When can we visit the farm animals?
Many inquiries do not fall under the Friends of the Farm’s area of operations, so consult our common inquiries page for links to the answers you need.
Are you a member? We have new benefits for Spring 2020 – discounts at some local nurseries!
Support the Friends’ mission and receive membership benefits on Master Gardener Lectures.
Upcoming Events:
Annual General Meeting
Wednesday May 6 POSTPONED – new date to be announced soon
Used Book Sale
Saturday and Sunday, June 20 and 21 POSTPONED – new dates to be announced soon
Master Gardener Lectures
Tuesdays, September 15 and 29 cancelled
Watch our calendar for other event details. Follow us on Facebook for up-to-the-minute announcements.
Celebration Benches
Three benches were dedicated in 2019 in the beautiful Arboretum, and 4 more should be installed in late 2020. Learn more about this Friends of the Farm program at Bench Program. (Delays are a result of Covid-19 challenges – see the Bench Program page for details)
[The Merivale Shelterbelt project is finished.]
Collections/Boutique
You may now visit the Arboretum and Ornamental Gardens Collections at the Farm, but please continue to respect COVID-19 social distancing guidelines and practice appropriate behaviour with respect to the gardens and Arboretum.
Visit our Boutique to share books with friends and family all year long. We ship across Canada, to the USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand.
Blooms is the Friends’ contribution to Canada’s 150th and tells the story of this Ottawa gem – take a peek inside!
View how to buy Blooms or our other publications for pick-up or delivery within Canada.
The Friends gratefully acknowledge the very generous financial support of our Blooms book donors.
What’s Happening Now
Stay in touch with our Summer Newsletter and our July Farm Notes
See the Gardening Calendar for more garden events in the Ottawa area.
Read the Friends’ letters and responses to encroachment on the Farm. “It’s a research facility. It’s a public garden. It’s a heritage site. We’d like to see it stay that way.”
River Ward City Councillor Riley Brockington asks Ottawa Centre candidates of the 2019 election salient questions about the Central Experimental Farm, “Ottawa’s jewel in the crown.”
The Friends are located at Building 72 in the Arboretum during these Office Hours. (As noted above, our office is closed until further notice due to Covid-19)
Volunteer Spotlight
July 2020 Rob Stuart
Did you know Friends volunteers donate over 10,000 hours every year to support its mission and activities? Here’s our latest Volunteer of the Month or read about our volunteers in Previous Spotlights.