Hello from the Vanden Bosch Family. I, Susan, started out on the Ernslea Farm near Foxboro, Ontario back in the early 70’s & 80’s working on a rocky farm with the VanWinkoop Family and my Mom & Dad, along with 2 sisters and an older brother. There were 35 head of Holstein Dairy cows and a little white wooden stand in front of the big brick farm house at the side of Hwy 14. Corn was the biggest seller of the summer. Cars were lined up for the best corn around. We sold so much that it was hard to keep up - which ironically kept it the freshest corn around as well. Picking stones, square bales in the heat, picking tomatoes in 6 qrt wooden baskets (I often hid a few in the fence lines) and the never ending work, made me swear I would never be a farmer! A few perks of the farm however were, the horses we had, lots of room to explore, the freedom of the country life we never fully appreciated, and the neighborhood friends we shared.
My husband-to-be was one of those childhood friends. We married in 1983 and moved to Ottawa; Tim in his field of Farm Machinery and I in my field at the Ottawa Citizen Newspaper in Advertising. We choose to live in the country and commuted to work - it just felt right. Two sons, Luke & Justin, in just a few years, and many trips “back home” to visit family and friends started to make us rethink full time work in the city. We moved to our new home, on the almost rock free farm, on the Frankford Rd in 1990 - it just felt right. Ben our 3rd son was born just 2 weeks after we moved in.
Happily busy with our boys and life on the farm, time moved on, and a little stand was put up at the side of our road. A new chapter was started in our lives. Our boys were always at my side, working, playing or even sleeping as I worked in the garden, and Tim worked off the farm. Yes, there were horses, goats, cows, cats & dogs but also motorcycles, 4-wheelers and tractors. Our boys learned how to appreciate the results of our labors, loving families, great friendships, sense of community through church, school and good neighbors. It just felt right.
We have always encouraged our boys to follow their own passions for their futures. They are grown and each in their own professions now. We have 3 wonderful grandchildren and more to come. Our market gardening business has grown over the last 28 years. We have 3 locations and Tim has, as of this past May, come home to farm with me full time. We are busier than ever. Still learning, growing, struggling with the weather and nature in general. Who knew deer actually like to eat cucumbers? How can the weather forecast say 90% rain and we don’t see a drop? But, in the end, we have always stayed true to what we believe in. The best quality, true home-grown vegetables and strawberries from May through to October. Because - it still just feels right!