Mum and Dad in front of the big magnolia at the nursery, in full spring bloom.

The original Charter Creek Wholesale Nursery delivery van, dark green with hand-painted lettering, parked in the grass at the farm.

Our story

It started with Dad's van

In 1988 Dad painted the phone number on the side of a van and started selling cedar to anyone who would stop. That was Charter Creek. That number still works.

The van is retired in the grass now, but Mum and Dad are not. They are still here, still on the same corner, still out in the rows most mornings. The produce and the flowers came later, because the ground was good for it and people kept asking. The neighbours came because word gets around.

Thirty-eight years in, it is still the family. Still the same road. Still the same number.

749-3232. Same as it says on the door.

Around the farm

A year on the corner

Bare ground in April. Seed trays by the thousand. Rows of gladiolus and statice by July. Tomatoes by the bucket in August, squash and pumpkins in the greenhouse by October. Then the maples turn and we start again.

The field freshly tilled in spring, cedar rows along the edge. — April. Tilled and waiting.

Seed trays filled and lined up on the greenhouse floor. — Trays filled, greenhouse one.

Tomato starts planted out in rows with the tractor at the far end. — Tomatoes planted out, May.

Mum and Dad on their knees weeding the pepper rows. — Weeding by hand, June.

Rows of gladiolus and statice in bloom, the forested hill behind. — Glads and statice, July.

A tall yellow gladiolus spike in the morning sun. — Gladiolus, cut in bud for the stand.

A path between two rows of sunflowers, lit from behind. — The sunflower rows, August.

Cutting dahlias in the u-pick rows. — Cutting dahlias for a Friday order.

Dozens of black buckets full of field tomatoes. — Tomatoes, one morning in August.

A hand-tied bunch of yellow, orange and deep red gladiolus. — A bunch of glads, ready to go.

Family and friends picking squash at dusk. — Bringing the squash in, September.

Boxes of squash and pumpkins lined up in the greenhouse at dusk. — Squash curing in the greenhouse, October.

Rows of potted Japanese maples in spring red. — The maples in spring.

Young plants in rows at dusk, hills behind. — Last light over the pepper rows.

Tees and sweatshirts

Wear the farm

Brown tees and sweatshirts with the same lettering Dad put on the van, and the same number on the back. Sold at the shed. Ask about sizes when you are in, or call and we will set one aside.

Call 236-996-6245