The story behind Grills.

Through the hard work and dedication of the Grills Family, Grills Orchards became one of eastern Ontario’s most sought after apple suppliers, opening a packing house and delivering throughout east and central Ontario.

With demand in the region for fresh apple growing, it was decided that more apple trees needed to be planted on the home farm expanding from 10 acres to over 30 acres. As well as seeking to buy apples from other local orchards, over 30 farms at one time. Over the next few decades, Grills Orchards continued to grow and expand, adding larger capacity cold storages and multiple delivery trucks.

After 82 years and three generations of Grills family operating Grills Orchards, the tough decision to sell the farm and business was made. In the summer of 1998, Grills Orchards was purchased by the McPherson family, excited and with a new vision for the farm and business and the potential that it held. It didn’t take us long to figure out what the future was going to be, while wholesale was and still is a significant part of our business it wasn’t where our passion was.

After realizing this, we decided to change our focus, expanding our retail store, and selling much more than just apples. This led to partnering up with other local farms and artisans, creating one of the areas first hubs of sorts. As our popularity grew, so did our offerings, adding the fudge shop, bakery, café, and ice cream parlour.

But the one thing we strive for the most is that feeling you get here, the feeling that this farm is special, the experiences you enjoy here that become family traditions. With that in mind, we added our most popular attractions – apple and pumpkin picking, wagon rides, a children’s play area, and of course, the corn maze.

With over a century of apple growing, the next generation of McPherson’s bring a new and exciting dynamic to the farm – and while understanding the same traditions, it might be time for some new ones. Our farm is always evolving and growing to add unique experiences, one of them might be your family’s next tradition.