Rien and Helen Van Brenk established Van Brenk's Fruit Farm and Nursery in 1973. With Rien's 4 year University education in pomology, and both of their hard work and determination, Van Brenk's Fruit Farm and Nursery had grown to a 225 acre commercial, family operated orchard and nursery.
Brian, their son, is now the second generation owner of the farm and managed it for the past 15 years expanding and mechanizing the apple nursery. Over a 5 year plan he slowly down-sided the apple orchards and fruit production and concentrated on the nursery tree production. After several trips to Holland and many investment dollars later, he is proud to be one of the most mechanized nurseries in the world. “Everything has been rebuilt and made easier with higher quality trees..Everything from barn storage, racking, mechanical planters and harvesters to how the trees are propagated on benches in the winter rather then on our knees in the summer. The new type of tree called KNIP is far superior as they are taller with more feathers (branches). Performance in the orchards makes production faster and easier to manage.”
VanBrenk Fruit Farms participate and are members of the OFA (Ontario Federation of Agriculture), and GAP (Good Agriculture Practices) who's goal is food safety. VanBrenk Fruit Farms has an Environmental Farm Plan, and are currently a willing participant in a traceability program.
