About Us

OUR STORY

Thames River Melons started in 1984 when Rob decided to grow a single acre of melons. It was a bit of a gamble for Ontario at the time, but it worked, and it laid the foundation for the family farm we are today.

Over the years, the whole family has become part of the story: helping with planting, harvesting, beekeeping, baking, markets, delivery routes, kitchen prep, farm events, and everything in between. If you’ve ever called our number, visited the farm, picked berries, stopped by a market stand, or emailed us with a question, you’ve likely met someone from our family!

While the farm has grown to include over 40 crops, homemade goods, honey, beef, home delivery, and seasonal experiences, the heart of it stays the same. We love growing food, we love sharing it with you, and we love the community that has supported us for four decades. This farm is our home — and we’re grateful you’re a part of it.

Visit Us

EXPLORE THAMES RIVER MELONS

MEET THE CHESNEY FAMILY

  • ROB & MARIA

    You'll find Rob, our head farmer, talking on two phones at once or bumping through the fields in his Can-Am. His wife Maria keeps things fun teaching elementary school and welcoming our community at the Stratford Farmers' Market.

  • ALEX & NATHAN

    Rob's daughter Alex has a finger in every pie, overseeing farmers' markets, the Pick-Your-Own, kitchen, food truck, and social media, and often baking fresh pies herself. When her husband Nathan isn't beekeeping or training staff, he's teaching at Western.

  • GRANT & ELLA

    Rob and Maria's son Grant studies agriculture at Guelph in the winter and sprints around solving problems in the summer. Their daughter Ella takes care of the cows, chickens, horse, and customers at farmers' markets throughout the week.

We grow what we like to eat! Everything you buy from Thames River Melons is grown, raised, or made here on our family farm. We prepare everything with care, for taste and quality, so you can be sure our goods are always fresh and delicious.

WHAT WE GROW

  • Experience the joy of eating seasonally with farm-fresh home deliveries or by visiting our Pick-Your-Own patch. From May to November, you can choose from a variety of fruits and vegetables all grown here on our farm.

    Starting in May

    • Asparagus: May - June

    • Rhubarb: May - June

    • Radishes: May - June*

    • Spinach: May - June

    • Swiss Chard: May - September

    • Lettuce: May - September

    • Garlic: May - October

    • Herbs: May - October

    Starting in June

    • Strawberries: June - November

    • Zucchini: June - October

    • Potatoes: June - October

    • Cucumbers: June - September

    • Dill: June - September

    • Green Onions: June - November*

    Starting in July

    • Carrots: July - November*

    • Beets: June - October*

    • Peas: June - July

    • Kale: June - November

    • Okra: Jul - September

    • Broccoli: July - November

    • Cauliflower: July - November

    • Cabbage: July - November

    • Beans: July - October

    • Raspberries: July

    • Sweet Corn: July - October

    • Blueberries: July - September

    • Muskmelon: July - October

    • Watermelon: July - October

    • Specialty Melons: July - October

    • Peppers: July - November

    • Tomatoes: July - October

    • Onions: June - November

    • Shallots: July - November

    • Eggplant: July - October

    Starting in August

    • Leeks: August - November

    • Squash: August - November

    • Celery: August - October

    • Brussels Sprouts: August - November

    Starting in September

    • Sweet Potatoes: September - November

    • Gourds: September - October

    • Pumpkins: September - October

    • Apples: September - November

    • Parsnips: September - October*

    • Turnips: September - October*

    Note: * indicates that the crop is only available as Pick Your Own

  • Be a farmer for the day and try your hand at picking-your-own:

    • Strawberries: June - early July

    • Raspberries: July

    • Blueberries: July - early September

    • Apples: September - October

    • Pumpkins: September - October

    • Vegetables: May - November

  • Enjoy Black Angus beef from our herd raised here on our farm. Our cattle are grass-fed and corn-finished for a delicious, local taste.

    You can buy specific cuts ranging from rib steaks to rump roasts at our Farm Shop, order them to be delivered directly to your door, or keep your freezer stocked with a monthly Black Angus Beef subscription.

  • Keep an eye out for our sure-to-sell-out Annual Flower Subscription, available for purchase mid-January through March each season.

    This subscription secures you 12 weeks of florals delivered to your door, and during the season you can order additional flower jars and buckets of blooms for delivery.

    Here on the farm, choose from Pick-Your-Own sunflowers and gladiolus.

    Email Alex for event floral inquiries.

With so many crops to choose from, your menu options are endless! Choose from a selection of preserves, baked goods, honey, and beef carefully crafted using ingredients grown and raised right here on the farm.

WHAT WE MAKE

  • Enjoy local produce year-round with delicious jams and jellies made from produce grown on our farm. Order for home delivery, stock up at Local Markets, or stop by our Farm Shop. Contact us for wholesale inquiries!

    JAM

    • Blueberry

    • Strawberry

    • Raspberry

    • Strawberry Rhubarb

    JELLY

    • Roasted Onion and Garlic Scape

    • Red Pepper

  • Enjoy local produce year-round with pickles made from produce grown on our farm. The perfect addition to your charcuterie boards, potato salads, or sandwiches. Order for home delivery, stock up at Local Markets, or stop by our Farm Shop. Contact us for wholesale inquiries.

    • Dill Pickles

    • Pickled Garlic Scapes (Sweet & Savoury or Spicy)

    • Pickled Asparagus

    • Pickled Beans (Dill or Spicy)

  • Enjoy local produce year-round with sauces, dips, and spreads made from produce grown on our farm. Order for home delivery, stock up at Local Markets, or stop by our Farm Shop. Contact us for wholesale inquiries.

    • Strawberry BBQ Sauce

    • Pasta Sauce

    • Garlic Scape Mustard (Champagne, Horseradish, or Hot)

    • Hot Sauce

    • Tomato Salsa (Regular or Spicy)

  • Enjoy local produce year-round with our small-batch preserves made from scratch in our Farm Kitchen, from produce grown on our farm. Order for home delivery, stock up at Local Markets, or stop by our Farm Shop. These sell out fast every season, so you'll want to purchase at least two!

    • Corn Relish

    • Candied Jalapeños

    • Candied Jalapeño Syrup

  • Our unpasteurized Melon Blossom Honey has a unique, rich flavour, thanks to the nectar our honeybees gather while pollinating nearly all the crops on our farm. Order for home delivery, stock up at Local Markets, or stop by our Farm Shop. Contact us for wholesale inquires.

    • 350g jar

    • 500g jar

    • 500g squeeze bottle

    • 500g jar caramelized

    • Honeycomb

    • Creamed honey

    • Case of Honey: 12 x 500g jars

    Interested in learning more about our bees? Join our beekeeper, Nathan, for our on-farm experience, Meet the Bees!

  • Our Farm Kitchen bakes fresh goods every day, some year-round and some unique, seasonal items.

    Available all season, our Fruit Pies feature fresh-picked fillings tucked into made-from-scratch all-butter crust. Choose from:

    • Strawberry Rhubarb

    • Raspberry

    • Blueberry

    • Pumpkin

    • Apple

    • Fresh Strawberry (Jun - Oct only)

    Other Baked Goods:

    • Pocket pies

    • Soft pretzels

    • Brie and onion jelly pretzel buns

    • Shortcakes

    • Focaccia

    • Muffins (blueberry, carrot, pumpkin, raspberry, or rhubarb)

    • Zucchini cake

    Prepared Foods:

    • Quiche

      • Vegetarian

      • Bacon

    • Tortiere

    • Beef pot pie

    • Chickpea pot pie

    • Shepherd’s pie

    • Soup

      • Asparagus, Broccoli Cheddar

      • Cauliflower Cheddar

      • Coconut Curry Sweet Potato

      • Coconut Curry Butternut Squash

      • Leek and Potato

      • Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

      • Roasted Red Pepper and Cauliflower

      • Sweet Potato Ginger

    • Chili

      • Vegetarian

      • Meat

"THANK YOU, THAMES RIVER MELONS!

Beyond the on-time arrival of your amazing fresh produce and scrumptious just-baked goods, there's always the polite, efficient and super-helpful service of your delivery staff.”

PLACE A DELIVERY ORDER

OUR FARMING PRACTICES

We strive to be a sustainable farm, which means actively working to preserve our local ecology and community and helping both thrive.

  • We employ a variety of strategies to manage pests, weeds, and disease on our farm through a process called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This includes:

    • Crop rotation to maintain soil health and prevent disease

    • Row covers to keep weeds and pests at bay and to help trap moisture

    • Daily field monitoring for signs of pests or disease

    • Pulling weeds that get by our row covers by hand or cultivating them

    • Treating with sprays when pest or disease damage reaches a threshold that jeopardizes the viability of the crop.

    We strictly follow all Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA) production guidelines, Health Canada policies, and CFIA protocols.

  • We do not grow any GMO crops on our farm.

  • We have rigorous food safety protocols on our farm, and are inspected and certified annually by NSF Canada Ag for the Canada GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) Program. This certification is recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and the Canadian Government.

    We also have a Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) license, which is mandated by the SFC Regulations and inspected by the Canadian Food Inspected Agency (CFIA).