Breathe in the presence of nature.

Five Generations at the 42nd Parallel

Located at the southernmost tip of Canada, Bridgewood Farms is a testament to the enduring spirit of Ontario agriculture. For five generations, this land has been held and helmed by the same family — evolving from a traditional homestead into the thriving 225-acre farm it is today.

In years past the farm was home to cows, horses, pigs and chickens, and grew everything from tobacco and fresh-market potatoes to seed corn and processing tomatoes. Current owners Andrew and Sandra Woodbridge took the reins in 2012, expanding the farm's footprint and vision. Today, Bridgewood is a productive engine of the Lake Erie north shore, working a cash-crop rotation of corn, soybeans and winter wheat.

Meet Your Hosts

Andrew and Sandra Woodbridge don't just manage the land — they live and breathe it. Both hold university degrees in agriculture and bring a lifetime of practical farming and agribusiness expertise to the operation. Andrew serves as Market and Business Development Director for Plant Products; Sandra owns The Woodbridge Factor Inc., specializing in high-level business and leadership coaching. Along with their son Alex, German Shepherd Luna, and cat Daisy, they are dedicated to sharing the wellness and peace that farm life brings.

The Gold Standard of Soil & Science

You are standing on the 42nd Parallel — sharing a latitude with the legendary growing regions of Northern California, Central Italy, and the South of France. This gives Bridgewood a long, sun-drenched growing season and a temperate microclimate moderated by Lake Erie.

The secret to our productivity lies beneath your feet. Our Sandy Loam soil is the "gold standard" for agriculture, prized for its ability to drain excess moisture while retaining vital nutrients — the same foundation that has made our region famous for its world-class wineries. Here, the terroir is reflected in every harvest.

Powering the Global Bio-Economy

Beyond the gardens lie the working fields. While the pollinator sanctuary is about half an acre, the surrounding 225 acres are dedicated to a high-precision rotation of "cash crops" — the staple commodities that form the backbone of the global economy. Here, we don't just grow food; we grow the raw materials for energy, industry, and nutrition.

Commercial Field Corn

Look closely and you'll see this is "Dent Corn," not the sweet corn from a roadside stand. It's harvested once the kernels are dry and hard.

• The energy source: most becomes high-energy feed for livestock across Canada.
• Renewable fuel: a significant portion is processed into ethanol.
• The spirit of the farm: our high-starch corn is a base for premium Canadian whiskey.
• The hidden ingredient: from corn syrup to starch in paper and textiles, it's likely in your pantry, your clothes, and your car.

The Miracle Soybean

Called the "Miracle Bean" for its versatility, the soybean is a legume that works with underground bacteria to "fix" nitrogen, naturally fertilizing the ground for next year's crop. Once crushed locally in Windsor, its oil is used for cooking and bio-lubricants, while the protein-rich meal feeds poultry, swine, and cattle.

Soft White Winter Wheat

Planted in autumn, our winter wheat rests through the snowy months and "wakes up" in early spring to be harvested in the July heat. Unlike the hard wheat of the prairies, our soft white wheat has a low gluten content and a delicate texture — the secret behind crisp crackers, light biscuits, and flaky pastries.

By practicing a precise three-crop rotation — corn → soybeans → wheat — we maintain the health of our Sandy Loam terroir, prevent soil-borne disease, and keep the land productive for the next five generations.

The Monarch Sanctuary

Essex County is one of the most vital "refueling stations" in North America for the Monarch Butterfly. This 5,000-square-foot quadrant is a living tribute to their 4,000 km migration.

The Monarch is a specialist: while adults drink nectar from many flowers, their caterpillars depend exclusively on milkweed. By planting native milkweed and orange glory flower, we provide the essential nurseries the next generation needs to continue its journey.

This "Legacy Meadow" is composed of native perennials adapted over millennia to our climate. Because our Sandy Loam drains so efficiently, plants like Gayfeather and New England Aster send roots up to 15 feet deep — stabilizing the soil, preventing erosion into nearby Fox Creek, and sequestering carbon.

The Harvest Gallery

Here we celebrate the truth that a working farm can be both highly productive and breathtakingly beautiful. The Harvest Gallery is a high-energy "cafeteria" designed to give a massive sugar-boost to our most important winged partners.

The Honeybee's Five-Kilometre Commute

Our honeybee hives sit two kilometres north on the farm. These ultimate commuters fly up to five kilometres to forage here, passing through local apple orchards along the way and providing essential pollination. The nectar they collect from Iceland Poppies, China Asters, and Cosmos isn't just fuel — it's the ingredient behind our farm's signature honey.

The Hummingbird Corridor

The gallery is also a primary destination for the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. The tubular shapes of Rocket Larkspur, Hosta flowers, and Peacock Orchids are evolutionarily "keyed" to the hummingbird's long beak. Our 40 acres of protected forest give these birds a safe green corridor to travel before darting in to feast.

The Art of Succession Planting

To keep pollinators — and guests — happy, we time our replants so that as one flower fades, another begins to bloom. Sweet William and Baby's Breath provide the first forage of the year; Autumn Beauty Sunflowers rise as a stunning late-season backdrop.

The Bumble Bee Sanctuary

While honeybees get the fame, the Bumble Bee is the unsung hero of the Ontario farm. You are standing beside our resident bumble bee colonies.

Bumble bees are "buzz pollinators" — capable of grabbing a flower and vibrating their flight muscles at a specific frequency. This "sonication" releases pollen tucked away in deep pores that honeybees simply cannot access, making them essential for tomatoes, peppers, and many other fruits and vegetables.

This sanctuary is planted with powerhouse nectar plants like Anise Hyssop and Bee Balm, chosen for their high-protein pollen. Because our fields rotate through corn, soybeans, and wheat, wildflower availability changes through the year — so this sanctuary acts as a constant, a "pollinator bridge" that keeps the bees healthy enough to move out into the orchards and fields to do their vital work.

The Beneficial Haven

"The farmer's silent partners." At first glance this quadrant looks like a simple green field, but it is our Biological Control Center.

Every farm faces pests — aphids, mites, beetles. Instead of relying solely on chemistry, we use this quadrant to recruit an army of beneficial insects. Herbs and flowers like dill, cilantro, and fennel attract ladybugs, lacewings, and tiny parasitic wasps — the natural predators of the pests that attack our soybeans and corn.

Equally important is what happens underground. The Crimson Clover here is a legume with a magical ability: through "nitrogen fixation," it pulls nitrogen gas from the air and converts it into solid fertilizer in the soil. Acting as a "living mulch," it protects the soil from heavy Essex County rains and prevents erosion. Sustainable farming isn't just about what we take from the land — but what we give back.

Where Water, Woodland & Wildlife Meet

Just behind the pollinator gardens runs Fox Creek, a vital artery in our local ecosystem.

In the 1980s, a partnership with the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) helped establish the reforested buffers you see today — natural filters that protect the waterway on its journey to Lake Erie. Just down the road, the ERCA-run John R. Park Homestead Conservation Area also borders Fox Creek and offers one of the region's most engaging windows into 19th-century farm life.

These buffers are a busy wildlife corridor. Watch for Bald Eagles overhead, Wood Ducks using our nest boxes, and the frogs and turtles that call the creek home. You may spot herons and egrets — our "pterodactyls" — gliding by, while deer, coyotes, foxes, rabbits, and more travel this sheltered creek line.

Barn & Cliff Swallows: Our Summer Airshow

From late spring through summer, swallows put on an acrobatic show over the fields and along Fox Creek. Our older wooden barns are especially valuable, as traditional open farm buildings have become rare across Ontario. Barn Swallows build open cup-shaped mud nests on beams inside the barns, while Cliff Swallows create gourd-shaped colonies under the eaves.

• Look for low, swooping flight as they hunt mosquitoes and flies.
• Mud-carrying birds skimming the creek edge are collecting nest material.
• Please watch from a distance — nests are most sensitive when chicks are present.

Breathe in the Presence of Nature

We invite you to step onto our trails and try Forest Bathing, or Shinrin-yoku — the Japanese practice of absorbing the forest atmosphere to receive mental and physical healing.

This is not a traditional hike. By slowing down and being present among the trees, you can listen to the creek, notice the scent of pine, and watch the sunlight — or komorebi — dance through the canopy.

Why It Works

• Natural healing: trees emit essential oils called phytoncides that improve immune function and lower blood pressure.
• Stress reduction: walking among trees decreases cortisol and helps reset the nervous system.
• Mental clarity: the practice increases vigor while easing anxiety, fatigue, and confusion.

How to practice: find solitude and focus on all your senses. Plant your feet firmly, breathe deeply, and observe the forest's rhythm. Whether you sit quietly for twenty minutes or wander through the woodlots, escaping to nature is a natural antidote to a busy life. Your mind, body, and spirit will thank you.

Your Home on the 42nd Parallel

Thank you for taking the time to explore Bridgewood Farms. We hope wandering through our pollinator gardens has allowed you to truly "breathe in the presence of nature."

If you'd like to experience the farm at its most peaceful, we invite you to stay a little longer and make our home yours.

Lingering at the Legacy

• Sunrise & song: begin your morning with birdsong and a slow, meditative walk on our reforested trails.
• The airshow: catch the evening acrobatics as our swallows perform over the fields and Fox Creek.
• Wellness: take an extra day for Shinrin-yoku, absorbing the healing phytoncides of the trees.

However you choose to visit, you are now part of the Bridgewood Legacy. We would love to welcome you back to linger by the creek, reset your nervous system, and enjoy the peace that only five generations of stewardship can provide.

Until then, travel safely.
~ The Bridgewood Farms Team