If you’re looking for a wide variety of fresh produce, Ferme Hubert Sauvé in Valleyfield has you covered. Currently being run by Alexandre Sauvé, this farm has been around for over 50 years. Sauvé took it over a few years ago from his uncles, who had taken it over from their father, who had taken it over from his father.
Sauvé says that when the farm started out, it was a “pretty standard farm.” It started with some produce and had the typical animals you’d expect to see. As time went on, it diversified what is grown, and now offers a wide variety of goods, including strawberries, apples, raspberries, tomatoes, sweet corn, garlic, cucumbers, squash, and more. It also has a kiosk with products made from the farm’s products, like jams and pies. Sauvé jokes that “The transformation of the products isn’t my thing; I leave that to my mom and my aunts.”
This year brought some challenges for Sauvé, including non-cooperative weather: “It was horrible. We had a lot of water about Saint Jean Baptiste and Canada Day. Those were big days of rain,” he says. Though the impact of this was felt throughout the summer, he says they are hopeful that September will be nice enough for people to spend time outside, and that they get a few more weeks of tomatoes.
For Sauvé, nothing can beat the feeling of biting into a piece of fruit that’s been freshly picked. “I don’t eat strawberries at home, I only eat them in the field. That’s when they’re the best,” he says, emphasizing that fruit is always tastiest when it’s still warm from the sun. This is one of the benefits of getting fruits and vegetables from a local farm instead of a grocery store. “When you come pick your own tomatoes or apples in the field, you can’t get any fresher than that,” he says.
Visiting the farm is also an accessible way to spend time in the community with family. “It’s a great family activity that isn’t expensive. We don’t have an entrance fee, and we don’t charge for things like tractor rides. It’s so people can come get their own vegetables,” Sauvé says, and adds, “It’s also more ecological because we’re not bringing stuff in from California or the other end of the country.”
Ferme Hubert Sauvé is at 140 Rang du Milieu in Valleyfield. The kiosk will remain open until November, then will close for the winter.