Welcome to The Farm @ Cherrylane

Jen Smith and Michelle Smith at Cherrylane

The Smith family has a rich farming legacy spanning 10 generations, with the past 116 years being dedicated to our farm in Vineland. In 1908, we acquired the property, including the house built in 1873. Presently, Cherrylane Farm encompasses 400 acres of cherries, peaches, and pears, expertly managed by Jen Smith, the 10th generation farmer.

 

Jenifer Smith President of Cherrylane

Jen Smith, who was born on the farm, continues the family's farming tradition as the current farmer on the property. It was Jen's grandfather, Harold Smith, who initiated the offshore program in Canada, employing workers from Jamaica to assist on the farm during the summer months. Recognizing their efforts, the Smith family received the Order of Distinction of Jamaica in 2015 for spearheading the program's development.

 

Farm Workers at Cherrylane

This program has been in operation for over 50 years, and to this day, Jamaican workers come to lend their support on the farm. Currently, Cherrylane employs 17 Jamaican workers, many of whom have dedicated over two decades of their lives to coming to Canada every summer for work.

 

 

cherrylane farm

Jen has been running the farm for over 30 years, having worked alongside her father until she took over upon his retirement. Cherrylane Farm is proud to be a family-run operation, led by an all-women team.

 

Jenifer Smith and Michelle Smith

Throughout its history, Cherrylane has focused on cultivating cherries, peaches, and pears. Specifically, we specialize in Montmorency cherries, which are known for their tart flavor. Additionally, we process cherries by removing the pits and packaging them in pails for various purposes such as pie fillings, yogurts, jams, and more. In the past two decades, our research has led us to create cherry juice concentrate, as cherries have been proven to have significant health benefits.

cherrylane tart cherry concentrate

Our peach orchards cover over 50 acres, where we grow clingstone peaches, popularly used for canning. For many years, Cherrylane operated a peach processing plant, where we peeled, sliced, and diced peaches for utilization in bakeries, yogurt, ice cream, and other products. However, in 2018, we made the decision to cease peach processing and exclusively sell our harvested peaches in the fresh market.

 

 

cherrylane orchard

 

 

The pear harvest takes place from late August through September. At Cherrylane, we cultivate four varieties of pears: Bartlett, Bosc, Harrovan Bounty, and Harrovan Crisp. Our pears are promptly harvested and dispatched to the fresh market.

 

 

cherrylane orchard with bees

 

 

Our dedicated team consists of Jen, serving as the president, Michelle, our general manager, as well as Jayne, Christina, and Penny, who handle accounting responsibilities. We also have Steph and Darian, responsible for our retail store operations. Notably, Tony, our longest-serving employee of over 50 years, diligently maintains our property year-round, ensuring it remains pristine through renovations and repairs.

 

cherrylane retail store