Ontario farm closes after 8 generations. It’s part of a growing ‘generational’ shift

After 180 years and 8 generations of farming, Lindley’s Farm and Market adjacent Hamilton volition beryllium permanently shutting down its operations, highlighting an uptick successful caller workplace closures crossed Ontario.

Following a quiescent closing of the workplace marketplace 2 weekends ago, the household announced its status to the nationalist successful a heartfelt station connected societal media.

The household shared that they would beryllium shutting down operations astatine the fashionable Ancaster workplace connected Fiddler’s Green Road, known for its pumpkins, strawberries and beloved marketplace with farm-grown produce.

“The Lindley household is everlastingly thankful to each our staff, customers and friends implicit the countless years of business, of being capable to supply from the land. There person been hard times on the way, which person ever made mode for incredibly satisfying times,” they said successful the caption.

While the workplace marketplace permanently closed its doors connected Nov. 3, the household noted that “pick-your-own” strawberry play volition proceed successful 2025. They besides stated that the farmland volition beryllium leased retired for the foreseeable future.

The announcement gave a little past astir the household roots successful Canadian agriculture, going backmost to 1842, erstwhile James and Mary Lindley sailed successful from England.

With a passionateness for farming, the Lindleys started increasing effect and vegetables successful Ontario, gradually expanding their concern and passing it down for generations to come.

“The adjacent procreation bought onshore successful 1873 from Joseph Brant, Mohawk chief. Generations continued farming determination until 1973 erstwhile the workplace was sold,” the caption of the societal media station read.

In a caller phase, Peter and Joan Lindley moved operations to Ancaster, and successful 1980, the household opened up Lindley’s Farm and Market.

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Global News reached retired to the owners for an interview, but didn’t perceive back.

Now, the family’s determination to adjacent the workplace marketplace reflects a broader inclination of challenges being faced by Ontario’s family-run farms.

Sarah Wood, vice-president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, says they are seeing a inclination successful farms closing.

“There is simply a changing landscape,” she said.

Hamilton besides precocious mislaid some the Myers Apple Farm successful Copetown and Frootogo Orchards successful Waterdown.

Wood said determination has been a displacement from accepted agriculture to much market-focused operations aimed straight to the consumer.

“We’re seeing farms diversify to hedge their hazard successful today’s economy. There person been challenges with tariffs and besides with taxes.”

She said galore long-standing farms adjacent owed to “a deficiency of succession readying and a generational displacement wherever nary children are funny successful taking over.”

Though Lindley’s Farm and Market is present shutting its doors, the family’s contributions to Ontario’s cultivation practice stay a awesome of the accelerated changing landscape for Ontario farms.

“Thank you to all,” the household wrote, signing disconnected connected astir 2 centuries of workplace enactment successful Ontario.