A Local Market Gardener With Family Roots From The Early Twentieth Century
When Tom Wilding was a boy back in the 1930’s, he would load up his cart, hitch up his horse and bring his family’s farm products down to Algoma Farmers’ Market, which was located at Queen St. and Dennis St. in Sault Ste. Marie. Starting back in the 1920’s his family farm was on Goulais avenue and Second Line, known as Korah Township. Tom still lives in the area to this day. His son Terry along with Terry’s wife Susan and their family, continue the Wilding tradition of growing healthy produce in their own market garden, Wilding Acres.
I had an opportunity to meet up with Susan who gave me the background of the Wilding family farming history in Sault Ste. Marie.
“The Wildings have been at the Algoma Farmers’ Market for more than 100 years.”
Terry and I bought ten acres on Townline, thirty-five years ago and we work three acres for the market garden.We have also included a new greenhouse in order to extend the growing season.”
The three children were raised here and have been involved at different times during the evolution and have helped with the garden, in one way or another. Her son Christopher along with his wife Lara are a big help to them now.
The market garden grows a wide variety of vegetables from arugula to asparagus. Apple, pear, and cherry trees surround the front of the property which they use in baking and preserving for customers.
“One of the biggest improvements we added was a drip irrigation system a few years ago and it’s made a big difference in the success of our crops. Our new green house will mean we can start plants earlier in the season and we can keep them growing later into the season. It won’t be heated, so we can’t grow year-round, but it will certainly enable us to offer our customers with fresh produce locally for longer.”
When she first started vegetable crop gardening, Susan admitted she didn’t have a lot of hands-on skills in growing food. She attributes much of her knowledge to her father-in-law Tom Wilding. “He’s my mentor.” “I grew up in Thompson Manitoba and had some limited experience with farming, now, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
“I love what I do and am always willing to learn more.”
For the past eight years, Wilding Acres has had a working relationship with Jeff Marshall of Marshall farms. They operate a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program together. “By partnering and offering what we grow and what Jeff grows, we can provide our customers with a wide variety of produce items in their shares.” The CSA is offered from June to Thanksgiving and Susan says there are a few spots still open.
“We sell exclusively through the Algoma Farmers’ Market which is located at the Roberta Bondar Park and Marina in Sault Ste. Marie. Along with our produce, we sell a lot of home baking and preserves. A few craft items too. One of the things I most enjoy about the market is having the opportunity to provide growing tips to my customers and learning from them too. “It really is what it’s all about.”
The Wilding family have a long history of growing healthy, clean and nutritious food along with value-added products for Sault Ste Marie residents and visitors. While a horse and cart are no longer in the mix, it looks like they have no intention of slowing down and only have room to grow bigger and better. That’s a wonderful goal to have.
Wilding Acres
400 Town Line
Sault Ste. Marie, ON
(705) 779-2586
No farm-gate sales at this time.