About Janssens Orchards

The Farm

Janssens Orchards is a family farm business, operated by Mike and Marion. Started in 2017, close to the Village of Bath, our passion is apples especially the varieties of our forefathers. This passion covers growing apples and everything you can do with them. Specifically, with the start of this new business, Mike has been able to turn his attention to an area of apple growing that has held his attention since he first started, growing heritage apples varieties. He has a particular interest in varieties known before 1900. Our goal is to combine this passion for old varieties with our apple growing experience to provide you with high quality, nutritious fruit.

On our 34 acre farm we have planted 32 different varieties of apples as well as pears, plums, and cherries. Every year we continue to add trees and plants to expand our orchard and food forest. We strive to use a holistic approach to managing our farm, using permaculture and food forest growing techniques (ecological growing practices). We are constantly challenging ourselves to reduce our impact on the natural environment. Our trees are young so are not yet bearing fruit consistently so we do bring in high quality apples form other local orchards to sell fresh and use in our cider blends. The varieties we sell from them are the same ones we sell at our markets. As we get more reliable crops we will move towards only selling what we grow.

Our farm is now much more than just an apple orchard. It truly is a diverse mixed farm operation that provides more than food – a positive environment where we help others start their own backyard orchard, learn different skills in gardening or about the amazing benefits of apples and other tree fruit.

Your Orchardists

Mike grew up outside the village of Tyrone which is located in Clarington, Ontario. It was here that his father taught him the art of growing high quality apples. His dad started with 10 acres and the business grew to 35 acres at its peak. At the time he never thought he would continue with apples and went to college so he could get a “real” job that paid good money. However, they say that once apple growing is in your blood you can never leave the trees behind. He soon discovered that statement is true. He has been a part of the Ontario apple industry for over 45 years and counting.

As a friend once said, Mike is a wealth of information and there is nothing he likes better than to share it.

Marion had immigrated with her family from the Netherlands and was a true city girl, growing up in Toronto. She developed a passion for gardening but never in her dreams did she think she would get involved in agriculture. She met Mike in college and before she realized the trouble she was in, she became involved in the apple industry. She has always brought an artistic flair, organizational skills and creativity to the farm and our marketing efforts.