Family tradition drives a new era of sustainable farming and community engagement at a thriving pick-your-own blueberry destination

Courtney Stevens, a seventh-generation farmer at Wilmot Orchards just east of Toronto, is steering a thriving blueberry operation that not only harvests about 100,000 pounds of highbush blueberries each season but also draws between 20,000 and 30,000 visitors during its busy three-week pick-your-own harvest period.

The family-run farm, established in 1976 on 35 acres, blends longstanding agricultural traditions with innovative agritourism and modern business strategies to ensure that fresh, locally grown produce remains accessible to Ontarians.

With a firm commitment to preserving vital farmland through a recent conservation agreement with the Ontario Farmland Trust, the operation addresses both local food security and sustainable farming practices.

Embracing this dual mission of production and preservation, Stevens is expanding the farm’s physical and commercial footprint.

Last year, an additional 10 acres were dedicated exclusively to blueberry bushes, a move that will help sustain the expanding harvest.

In parallel, the orchard is growing its online store and jar product line while introducing fine dining experiences through supper clubs in collaboration with a private chef from Toronto.

The strategic cultivation of 11 different varieties of highbush blueberries noted for their accessible heights ranging from about 3 to 7 feet ensures a picking season that spans three to three-and-a-half weeks, making the experience both enjoyable and efficient for visitors.

The deep family legacy that defines Wilmot Orchards is evident in every facet of its operations.

“The farm was started by my parents in 1976, and it’s important to our family. There’s a long legacy of farming and feeding people. I love the idea of being able to carry that forward as the seventh generation. We grow 11 different varieties of high bush blueberries. This allows us to have that three- to three-and-a-half-week season. We don’t do a lot of exporting, and I have very few products that I bring in from the U.S. So my philosophy, even before the tariff conversation came up, was that I love working with local brands, and I love when I do find another business to work with that is local.In this tariff situation, it will hopefully encourage other people to do that as well.”

Courtney Stevens, Seventh-Generation Farmer of Wilmot Orchards

This blend of heritage and modernity is further showcased during the peak pick-your-own season a period Stevens describes as “a very intense month” after which the farm remains busy year-round by canning 13 different blueberry-based products that are sold continuously.

This steady cycle of production, innovation, and direct community engagement has established the farm as a cornerstone of local agritourism and food production.

A vital element of the visitor experience at Wilmot Orchards is the thoughtful organization of the pick-your-own program.

Guests are directed along specific roads within the orchard to ensure that they collect berries at their peak ripeness and in a manner that minimizes effort.

Complementing the picking experience is an on-site dessert café where visitors can enjoy freshly prepared meals.

“We also have a dessert cafe, so when guests come and pick, they can grab something to eat, a drink. About 97% of all of the food we serve there is also scratch made in the kitchen that it’s served out of,” Stevens notes.

This seamless integration of agricultural activity with culinary offerings creates a multifaceted experience that appeals to a broad range of consumers from families seeking a fun day out to food enthusiasts eager to taste locally sourced, freshly made dishes.

Beyond its immediate commercial pursuits, Wilmot Orchards is also a proactive participant in shaping broader agricultural trends.

With consumer preferences increasingly favoring larger, sweeter berries for fresh consumption rather than traditional baking or jam-making, the farm has responded by phasing out some of its older, smaller varieties in favor of newer, larger ones.

Stevens’ vision extends to reinforcing local business networks as well.

By fusing decades-old family traditions with modern agritourism and sustainable practices, Wilmot Orchards stands as a model for contemporary agriculture.