32 Story Idea?Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Farming | November 2023 REBUILDING THE FAMILY FARM ‘There was nothing here but grass, trees, & garbage. We cleaned things up.’ By Emily Cro Up close Michael and Tom Marchant’s passion for farming has been generational and they bring that passion to Gi en Valley Farms. Michael started his farming career early in life on his family farm in Fraserwood, Man., where his family “raised everything but sheep.” e Marchant family later moved from Manitoba to Ontario, where they started a sheep farm near Orillia in Simcoe County. “ is story is not my own. At the heart of the farm are my parents whom I farm with, Tom and Jill Marchant,” says Michael. “Most of my father’s family were farmers around the Midland area. ey were a generation that farmed as a way of life, to feed each other and their neighbours.” When Tom later retired, Michael helped them move north to Nipissing Township. “I’ve always said my father retired so he would have more time to work,” says Michael. “When that time came, they fell in love with the view overlooking Gi en Valley near the hamlet of Commanda. “I went to help them set up as there was nothing here but grass, trees and garbage. With my brother Allen’s help we cleaned things up.” Michael says that this is when he began to see more of a future on the farm and started working with his father. “A vision for the layout of the farm began to form. We created some clever designs so we could feed ourselves and our neighbours, as we continually improved upon the land that I fell in love with as well.” A neighbouring farmer played a large role in the development of the Marchant family farm. While they reestablished their herd of cattle, with Thomas, Jill, and Michael Marchant at their farm. Richard Shrum photo
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