Introducing Wish You Were Here Farm: Where Our Regeneration Journey Begins
Wish You Were Here Farm is our first project—and one we feel incredibly lucky to care for. Tucked in Ontario’s Greenbelt within the Greater Toronto Area, the farm sits in a growing corridor of natural habitat linked to the Niagara Escarpment. The Escarpment is one of southwestern Ontario’s most important wildlife highways, and from the farm’s high ground you get beautiful views in every direction.
Roots in the Past
The 88-acre property was once part of a 100-acre working farm that was mostly cleared for agriculture. The remaining forests were logged heavily 80 to 100 years ago, likely grazed through the 1950s, and tapped for maple syrup. Maple and oak trees were planted in 1925, sugar maple in 1935, and a walnut plantation went into a former strawberry field around 1970. Today, grey squirrels, downy woodpeckers, chickadees, and deer already call this place home—and we’ll be adding wildlife cameras to learn who else is sharing the land with us.
About 30 acres are currently used for conventional corn–soybean rotation, with one field in alfalfa. This kind of farming has been in place for many years and has left the soil depleted and low on life. Soil tests show organic matter at 2.6%. Our goal is to more than double that to above 7%—a key step in rebuilding healthy, sponge-like soil that can hold water, support diverse plants and microbes, and nourish future crops.
We also can’t forget the farm’s four-legged residents. Wish You Were Here Farm supports a small horse rescue and is home to retired racehorses Woody and Trooper (fun fact: Woody was born on the farm), along with the beautiful mare Tpotsss and her daughter Ari. They’ll play a starring role in our compost-making and soil restoration efforts—and they’ll each get their own introduction in an upcoming article.
Seeds for the Future
This winter, we’re designing the transition from conventional to regenerative and organic. In the months ahead, we’ll share how we turn worn-out fields into a thriving ecological system while building a farm business that produces delicious organic food for our neighbouring communities. And the unusual name? It’s our nod to the Pink Floyd classic—Wish You Were Here—and an invitation to imagine the kind of farm and landscape we’re working to bring back to life.
