About Us

OUR STORY

Five people standing in front of a colorful mural that reads "Thames River Melons." They are smiling, posing for a photo, outdoors on a grassy area. The mural features illustrations of strawberries, raspberries, and yellow flowers.
A young man and a woman smiling and standing together in a covered outdoor area with string lights overhead. The woman is wearing a gray sweatshirt with a logo that reads 'Thames River Melon Co,' and the young man is wearing a gray hoodie.

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

Outline drawing of a grocery basket filled with vegetables including a watermelon, a carrot, and other produce.
A simple line drawing of a fruit stand with three oranges and a watermelon slice.
Outline of a woven basket filled with flowers, depicted in pink on a black background.
Outline drawing of a barn with a large arched door, two smaller doors with X-cross patterns, and an overhanging roof.

MEET THE CHESNEY FAMILY

  • A woman with blonde hair, wearing sunglasses, a gray jacket, and a t-shirt with a graphic, standing next to a man in a white cowboy hat, plaid shirt, and brown vest. They are outdoors with a blurred background of trees and a house.

    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.

  • A happy couple standing close together in front of a colorful mural, smiling for the camera. The man has short brown hair and a mustache, wearing a white t-shirt. The woman has long dark hair and is wearing a plaid shirt.

    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.

  • A young man and woman smiling outdoors with a cloudy sky in the background.

    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

Close-up of a blueberry bush with ripe, blue blueberries among green leaves.

  • 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

    • Peaches

    • 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

Hand holding a jar of Thames River Farm Melon Blossom Honey in front of white flowering bushes.

  • 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

Fresh vegetables including tomatoes, red bell peppers, turnips, garlic, beets, broccoli, carrots, leeks, onions, herbs, and leafy greens displayed on a table.

"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.

Close-up of a halved cantaloupe melon with orange flesh and seeds inside, surrounded by green leaves and small yellow flowers.

  • 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).

GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY

A display of onions, pumpkins, and gourds at a farm stand, with onions in the foreground and small pumpkins and gourds in the background.

Community has always been at the heart of what we do. Throughout the season, we work to share the food we grow and the resources we have with organizations that focus on food security, care, and connection.

Each season, we make seasonal donations such as pumpkins and fresh produce to local organizations working to strengthen their communities. During our delivery season, we also provide weekly donations to a number of local groups, including DASO, The Sharing Table, Shelterlink, Sakura House, Child Hunger Brantford, and the Fort York Food Bank.

Additionally, as part of our home delivery program, we deliver weekly large Market Boxes throughout the full 28-week season. When subscribers are away or miss a delivery, they also have the option to donate their box, helping ensure fresh, farm-grown food reaches those who need it most.

We’re proud to partner with organizations that align with our values, including Rainbow Registration, Tourism Oxford, and Ontario’s Southwest Tourism, and to be part of a broader network that supports inclusive, welcoming, and community-focused experiences.

A colorful rainbow with the text 'WE ARE RAINBOW REGISTERED' above it and the phrase 'TODAY. TOMORROW. EVERY DAY.' curved along the rainbow. There is also a rainbow registration logo with the words 'Rainbow Registered Arc-en-ciel Officiel' below the rainbow.

INTERESTED IN JOINING THE THAMES RIVER MELONS TEAM?

VISIT THE CAREER HUB

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Inside a large greenhouse filled with rows of young green seedlings growing in trays on tables, with a glass roof and metal framework overhead, and a blue sky visible outside.

  • Our first melons were grown in 1984!

  • Yes! We only sell what we grow (and make and bake) ourselves! All of the preserves and baked goods are made from our own produce as well.

    The only exception to this is at our On-Farm Market, where we sell a few select items that pair well with our produce and preserves: local cheese, and handmade artisan items like crochet creations, pottery, cards, and candles.

  • At this time, we outsource the processing of most of the preserves to a company called Roothams in Guelph, Ontario.

    Now that we have our own Farm Kitchen we do have the ability to make preserves ourselves, and we are making some special small-batches.

    Currently the Corn Relish, Candied Jalapenos, and Candied Jalapeno Syrup are made here on the farm, and all others continue to be processed by Roothams.

    Regardless of where they are processed, though, all the preserves are made only from our produce.

  • We attend a variety of farmers’ markets throughout the week, from May through December each season.

    For an updated list of where you can find Thames River Melons off the farm, click HERE.

  • We are not an organic operation, but we are very thoughtful about how we grow our food.

    We use Integrated Pest Management along with a variety of strategies to manage pests, weeds, and disease on the farm. These include crop rotation to support soil health and prevent disease, row covers to help keep weeds and pests at bay while trapping moisture in the soil, and daily monitoring of our fields for any signs of pests or disease. We also hand-pull weeds that make it past our row covers or manage them through cultivation.

    Occasionally, if a crop becomes heavily affected by pests or disease, we may use sprays. Their use depends on the individual crop and current weather conditions. We follow all recommendations set out by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, and we eat this produce too, so keeping it safe is just as important to us as it is to you.

    If you have any specific questions, please feel free to phone the farm at 519-469-3636.

  • Yes!

    We offer home delivery throughout the season, including both subscription-based options and one-time deliveries. It’s an easy way to enjoy farm-fresh produce, baked goods, beef, and more without visiting the farm.

    Delivery areas, schedules, and ordering details can all be found on our Home Delivery page.

  • At Thames River Melons, we have a variety of fruits and vegetables that are available for you to harvest yourself, straight from the field.

    When you arrive, you’ll check in with our staff to see what’s currently available and get any instructions you need for the day. From there, you’ll head out to the designated fields, pick what you’d like, and then bring it back to be weighed and paid for before you leave.

    PRO TIP: Bring your own container to take your produce home in. (Not to worry if you forget, we have plastic bags available for $0.05.)

    Availability changes throughout the season depending on what’s ready to harvest, and pricing is typically lower than pre-picked produce. It’s a simple, hands-on way to experience where your food comes from!

    Learn more HERE.

  • Our hours of operation vary from season to season, for the most up to date information on hours and what’s happening on the farm, click HERE or give us a call!

Still have questions? Feel free to reach out using our contact form, or give the farm a call at 519-469-3636!