Where do all Those Delicious Local Herbs, Spinach and Rhubarb Come From? Dolway Organic Garden

In 1991, John Wilson and Christine Scheer got married, quit their jobs, and bicycled around the world. When they got home a year later, they moved to the farm and began the process of converting it into an organic farm. Over the years John has grown the farming enterprise and now farms 25 acres of certified organic vegetables.

John is the full-time farmer, while Christine runs a cooking school off of the farm and writes newspaper and magazine columns with a focus on local produce.

The farm was bought in 1927 by Flora Wilson,John’s great grandmother. Flora named the farm ‘Dolway Farm’ after her late husband, Dr. John Dolway Wilson.
The farm is in the picturesque Thames River Valley. It is on the south facing slope with 7 fields on 3 terraces. The isolation from surrounding farm land is enhanced by the extensive wood lot that surrounds each field. This isolation is great for ensuring that disease and insect infestations are minimized. Careful crop rotation is also used to ensure healthy crops.

John now grows an extensive variety of vegetables and herbs that are sold across southwestern Ontario. While spinach, rhubarb, spring mix and basil are always popular, tomatillos, zucchini, patty pan squash, and cilantro run close seconds. Cheers to the folks that have discovered our edamame, and hurray for all the lucky customers that get our beautiful fingerling potatoes. John adds new products every year to keep everybody on their toes, and this year we are looking at new varieties of cauliflower, even more potatoes, celeriac, and perhaps some heirloom tomatoes.