Where We Came From

From Humble Beginnings

Thompson Potato Farm originated in 1943 as a dairy and potato farm under the direction of Don Thompson. Don and his wife Marion raised their family of five children on the farm. Don worked the land and looked after the animals. Marion had a passion for writing that she squeezed in between raising her family and her full time job as a teacher. 

John and his older sister Judy having a ride on their dad’s tractor

Family Farming

Don was thrilled when his son John decided to join him as a full time farmer in the 1970’s.  John was destined to sell potatoes ever since he was a young boy when he used to head out to the fields with his brother Jim. Together they would dig up their dad’s potatoes and run them up and down the road in a baby buggy selling them to their neighbours! 

John and R.J. with their first John Deere tractor…but not their last!

Growth & Expansion

In the late 1980’s, Don and John decided to streamline. So they sold the dairy herd and focused all their attention on mastering growing and selling potatoes. The farm acquired a third full time farmer when John’s son R.J. joined them in 1994.  In 2000, the product line was expanded with the acquisition of a new peeling line which provides customers with fresh peeled potatoes and fries.  We began selling our crop at the Ontario Food Terminal in 2004. This eventually led to the buying and resale of fresh produce to our restaurants and at the farm door. 

Don on his lawnmower with his two great-grandsons John and Curtis

Don’s Legacy

With his legacy in very capable hands, Don decided to retire from farming. He took up the full time job of cutting the grass and socializing with all the customers who visited the farm to purchase potatoes and sweet corn.  His smile and ever ready stories to share with our customers have been sorely missed since he passed away in 2013.  

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Who We Are Today

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R.J. and John

John and R.J. Thompson are the father and son team that are the heart and soul of our farming operation.

They both graduated from the University of Guelph and have devoted themselves to learning everything there is to know about growing potatoes. 

​They are responsible for every aspect of growing the crop, from the farm work to maintaining the equipment to updating the many certificates required to farm.

B.J.

B.J. Thompson is the comptroller for the farm. She is the primary contact for most of our customers and thoroughly enjoys speaking to all of them every week.

B.J. is responsible for dealing with all the paperwork so the men can drive their tractors! She is also a graduate of the University of Guelph, which is where she met her husband R.J.  

Curtis and John

John and Curtis are currently being groomed by their parents (R.J. and B.J.) and their papa (John) to be the next generation of Thompson Farmers. 

​They work part time at the farm learning the many different aspects of growing potatoes, selling potatoes and customer service. They are both planning on attending the University of Guelph and coming home to farm full time.

Our Staff

Keeping our customers satisfied requires a number of people. We are proud to have a reliable and dedicated team of employees who work for us. From bagging the potatoes to delivering the potatoes to hand picking our sweet corn, we couldn’t possibly get along without them.

Click on this link to read an article about our seasonal workers that was printed in East Gwillimbury’s Bulletin Magazine in December, 2015.

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"To be successful, the first thing to do is to fall in love with your work"
​        -Sister Mary Lauretta