Who is Lester anyways? Lester is our last name!
We are a proud family owned and operated farm business. For more than 180 years, the Lesters have been farming on Brookfield Road. During this time, we have supplied St. John's and the surrounding area with high quality fresh products. Milk, eggs, poultry and a great variety of fresh vegetables and small fruit have all been produced here on the farm.
After a short stay in Prince Edward Island, John, Mary and family moved back to the family farm in 1983 to concentrate on vegetable production.
For ten years, our focus was on growing lettuce, broccoli and some cabbage and turnip for the wholesalers. In 1994, we started out with a table on the side of the road and then constructed a small structure to sell some of our produce directly to consumers.
That was perhaps the best move we ever made! While still tending to the wholesale market, we started to grow a wider variety of vegetables. During the next five years, the small market was expanded to meet the fast growing customer base who came for our friendly service and fresh vegetables.
Eventually, a petting barn was constructed because we wanted families and children to experience a little bit of the joy we feel every day on the farm.
The petting barn and the animals have become extremely popular with any families who also come to spend a few hours walking through our corn maze or just sitting back and enjoying the overall farm atmosphere.
In 2002 we decided to plant two acres of strawberries for a u-pick, it has since become the largest u-pick in the metro area; we plant more and more strawberries each year!
When Mary first set up a table on the side of the road in 1994, we were farming a little more than 20 acres of land. To keep up with our growing tradition, we are now farming 120 acres.
On a farm, many hands make light work. John and Mary, along with three of their children (Chris, Brad and Susan) are very fortunate to have a dedicated staff year to year.
Without such phenomenal people, team work and hard work we would certainly not be where we are today.
At Lester’s Farm Market, we grow many things - including traditions.
Our farm is where you and your family get your pumpkin in the fall, the place your children beg you to go every Sunday, it’s where you go to get your yearly strawberries and the place where getting lost in a maze is fun.
It’s where you had your first tractor ride and the place where you go to get your pictures every fall, it's where you go for your flowers, veggies and more.
Colin and Trish Lester (John's brother and Mary's sister) initially took over the dairy section in the early 1980s. They have kept the growing tradition going with the help of their son, Craig, and one of their daughters, Nancy.
With the help of dedicated workers, the dairy farm milks 270 Holstein cows. They have evolved to modern dairy farming, using robotic milkers! Along with the milking cows, the farm also has approximately 300 heifers and calves.
Together we hope to share our passion for farming with you and your family for many years to come.
