Common Ground Farm

What Common Ground Farm does

Common Ground Farm is a privately held, certified organic vegetable farm founded in 2013 by Chris DeVries and operated on a 40-acre property at 6986 Middle River Road, just outside St. Thomas, Ontario. The farm grows over 60 varieties of certified organic vegetables on 18 acres of cultivated land, leveraging greenhouses, hoophouses, and field tunnels to enable year-round (365-day) production. Its core technology footprint is the agronomic and post-harvest infrastructure — drip and traveling-sprinkler irrigation, controlled-environment growing structures, an electric delivery van, and a Shopify/Recharge/Klaviyo commerce stack — rather than software IP.

The business sells directly to consumers via three channels: (1) a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) subscription program offering weekly or bi-weekly customizable vegetable shares, which the company states accounted for over 70% of farm income in 2022 and serves 350+ members; (2) an online farm store offering both farm-grown produce and curated partner-producer goods (dairy, meat, bakery, pantry, Fairtrade fruit); and (3) year-round retail stalls at Western Fair Market in London and Kitchener Market, plus on-farm pickup and home delivery to London, St. Thomas, Kitchener-Waterloo, and Cambridge. A secondary revenue line is the annual on-farm Middle River Music Festival, and a Solidarity Program channels community donations into subsidized CSA shares for economically vulnerable families.

Commercially, the farm is a small-scale B2C operation with a team of approximately five full-time year-round farmers plus seasonal labor, supplemented by an 18+ producer partner network across Ontario that effectively positions Common Ground Farm as a local-organic aggregator as well as a grower. It is privately held with no disclosed institutional ownership and received a C$259,245 non-dilutive grant from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in February 2025. The business model is structurally low-capex, community-anchored, and dependent on regional Southwest Ontario consumer demand for certified organic produce.

Name

Common Ground Farm

Legal name

Common Ground Farm

Website

https://commongroundfarm.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Common Ground Farm is a certified organic vegetable farm in St. Thomas, Ontario that sells directly to Southwest Ontario consumers via a 350+ member CSA subscription program, an online farm store, and year-round farmers markets. It also operates the annual Middle River Music Festival and a Solidarity Program for food access.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic Vegetable Farming (CSA & Farm Store)

NAICS

Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112), Food Crops Grown Under Cover (11141), Other Food Crops Grown Under Cover (111419)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Organic Vegetable & Melon Farming (Open-Field) (AFAGAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farm-to-Consumer Produce Boxes / CSA Delivery (AFAIANAC), Organic Produce & Farm Market Retail (CRAHAEAD), Farmers’ Markets & Farm Stands (Fresh Food) (CRAHAHAE), Organic Greenhouse & Protected Crop Farming (High Tunnels, Greenhouses) (AFAGAKAD), Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) / Vertical Farming (Indoor LED Farms) (AFAGAHAJ)

Keywords

• Certified organic vegetables
• CSA subscriptions
• Farm store produce
• Community supported agriculture
• Farmers market sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Thomas

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. CSA Subscriptions: Weekly or bi-weekly subscription box program providing vegetables, with options for 3 sizes and customization. Subscription provided over 70% of farm income in 2022. Members can skip weeks or cancel anytime.
2. Farm Store Sales: One-time purchases of vegetables and local/provision products through the online farm store with delivery or pickup options
3. Farmers Markets: Sales at Western Fair Market in London (year-round) and Kitchener Market (year-round)
4. Music Festival: Annual on-farm Middle River Music Festival with ticket sales
5. Solidarity Program Donations: Community donations supporting subsidized CSA shares for economically vulnerable families

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Common Ground Farm is a certified organic vegetable farm that grows more than 60 varieties of produce year-round on 18 acres of its 40-acre property outside St. Thomas, Ontario. It sells that produce direct-to-consumers primarily through customizable weekly/bi-weekly Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) vegetable box subscriptions (its single largest revenue driver, exceeding 70% of farm income in 2022), supplemented by an online Farm Store for one-time vegetable and local-good purchases, and direct sales at two year-round farmers markets in London (Western Fair) and Kitchener. The farm also runs a Solidarity Program offering subsidized shares to economically vulnerable families and hosts an annual Middle River Music Festival.

Product overview

Common Ground Farm operates a certified organic vegetable farming operation offering two primary product lines: CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) vegetable box subscriptions providing customizable weekly or bi-weekly deliveries of farm-grown produce, and an individual product Farm Store enabling one-time purchases of vegetables, fruits, herbs, dairy, meat, eggs, bakery items, and pantry goods. The farm grows over 60 varieties of certified organic vegetables on 18 acres of its 40-acre property outside St. Thomas, ON, and supplements its offerings with products from partner local farms and producers. The product portfolio includes: (1) CSA Subscription programs with Full Season shares (May-December), one-time solidarity boxes, and gift cards; (2) Farm-grown produce including leafy greens, root vegetables, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and microgreens; (3) Partner-sourced products including artisan cheeses (Gunn's Hill, L'Ancêtre, Mistyglen Creamery), meats (3gen Organics pork, Y U Ranch beef), bakery items (Seth's Sourdough, Artisan Bakery), dairy (Mistyglen milk and yogurt), maple syrup (Aldred Maple), honey (Wildflowers Farm), tortillas (J & D Peters), and specialty items like salad dressings, granola, and organic tofu; (4) Event products including annual Middle River Music Festival tickets; and (5) Merchandise including branded t-shirts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Community Supported Agriculture (CSA): Weekly or bi-weekly vegetable box subscription program offering certified organic produce and locally sourced products
• Solidarity Program
• Middle River Music Fest

Products and services

• Full Season CSA Vegetable Share (May to Christmas) Weekly or bi-weekly customizable subscription box of certified organic vegetables grown on the Common Ground Farm plus a curated selection of items from partner local farms and producers; available in three share sizes with home delivery across London, St. Thomas, Kitchener-Waterloo, and Cambridge or pickup at the farm and partner markets. Members can customize, swap, add, skip, or cancel shares each week. This is the farm's largest revenue driver, contributing over 70% of farm income in 2022.
• Spring to Fall 2026 CSA / Veggie Box Subscription Seasonal 2026 CSA vegetable subscription box with weekly deliveries of certified organic farm-grown produce and partner-supplied items, offered as a standalone product listing within the farm's CSA subscriptions collection.
• Farm Store (One-Time Vegetable and Local Good Purchases) Online storefront offering one-time purchases of farm-grown vegetables, fruits, herbs, plus partner-sourced dairy, meats, eggs, bakery, honey, syrup, oils, tortillas, salad dressings, and pantry items. Orders can be delivered to the door or picked up at the farm or partner markets; assortment includes leafy greens, beets, tomatoes, microgreens, herbs, dairy, artisan cheeses, organic pork and grass-fed beef, bakery, and Fairtrade bananas.
• 2026 Community Solidarity One-Time Veggie Box One-time vegetable box purchase that supports the Solidarity Program, which subsidizes CSA shares for economically vulnerable families in the community; allows customers to contribute directly to subsidized access to organic produce through a single transaction.
• Common Ground Farm Online Gift Card Digital gift cards for the Common Ground Farm online store, allowing recipients to apply the value to CSA subscriptions, one-time Farm Store produce orders, or other farm products.
• Middle River Music Fest General Admission Advance Ticket General admission advance tickets for the annual on-farm Middle River Music Fest, a family-friendly outdoor music festival featuring multiple bands, food vendors, farm tours, and DJ entertainment; offered as single ($35) or group-of-5 ($150) tickets.
• Common Ground Farm T-Shirt ('Live Life on the Veg') Branded apparel t-shirt featuring the 'Live Life on the Veg' design by Amanda DeVries, with the Common Ground Farm logo on the upper back; sold through the farm's online store as branded merchandise.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 70% of farm income from subscription box program in 2022
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Growing Chefs! OntariominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for community fundraiser events. Farm produce featured at Growing Chefs! Pizza Night fundraiser supporting local food education programs.
• C'Angelina (London)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal processor that helps process and can tomatoes into sauce using Common Ground Farm's organic ingredients.
• HOPE Eco Farms (Aylmer, ON)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner farm supplying eggs, kale, kohlrabi, rhubarb, flat parsley, sweet potatoes, broccoli and other produce to Common Ground Farm's store.
• 3gen Organics (Wallenstein, ON)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier of certified organic pork products including ground pork, sausage, bacon, ham, tenderloin, and pork chops.
• Gunn's Hill Artisan Cheese (Woodstock, ON)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier of artisan cheeses including Brigid's Brie, Handeck Cheese, and Five Brother's Cheese.
• Pfenning's Organic Vegetables (New Hamburg, ON)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier of organic produce including strawberries, asparagus, carrots, cabbage, and mushrooms, plus imported organic produce like ginger and turmeric.
• L'Ancêtre (Quebec)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier of organic dairy products including butter, feta, parmesan, mozzarella, and various cheddar cheeses.
• Mistyglen Creamery (Belmont, ON)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier of dairy products including whole milk, yogurt, cheese curds, and chocolate milk in returnable glass bottles.
• Y U Ranch (Tilsonburg, ON)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier of 100% grass-fed beef products including ground beef, beef patties, and stewing beef.
• La Houlette de Vie Bakery (St. Thomas, Ontario)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier of sourdough breads and pastries made with flour fresh-milled from local farms.
• Artisan Bakery (London)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier of artisan sourdough breads, croissants, pastries, pizza dough, granola, and condiments made with local flour.
• Aldred Maple Products (West Lorne, Ontario)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier of pure maple syrup including amber, dark, and whiskey barrel-aged varieties.
• Wildflowers Farm (St Thomas, ON)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier of unpasteurized honey from hives throughout Elgin County including Common Ground Farm.
• Mat's Fine Oils (Straffordville, Ontario)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier of fresh, organic, cold-pressed sunflower and hemp oils.
• J & D Peters Tortillas (Vienna, ON)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier of authentic Mexican tortillas made with their own local organic grains and sunflower oil.
• Forest City Microgreens (London, ON)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier of salad dressings and microgreens products.
• Equifruit (Ecuador/Peru)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSupplier of Fairtrade certified bananas imported from Ecuador/Peru.
• Our Fields Farm (Aylmer, ON)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner farm supplying specialty cabbage, tenderloin, and other seasonal produce.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pfenning's Organic Vegetables: Certified organic vegetable farm in New Hamburg, Ontario supplying CSA boxes and wholesale produce. Already both a supplier to Common Ground Farm's store and a direct competitor in the Ontario organic vegetable market with a comparable growing, packing, and distribution operation.
• Plan B Organic Farms: Ontario-based certified organic farm operating a CSA program, farmers markets, and farm store model. Highly comparable in scale, customer segment (local health-conscious families), and product mix of organic vegetables.
• Fresh City Farms: Toronto-area organic farm and CSA operator delivering customizable weekly produce boxes with partner-sourced grocery items. Mirrors Common Ground Farm's direct-to-consumer subscription, farm store, and partner-producer marketplace approach.
• Everdale Organic Farm: Certified organic farm near Hamilton, Ontario running a CSA program and farm store with educational programming. Comparable organic vegetable CSA model targeting local families in Southern Ontario.
• Whole Circle Farm: Acton, Ontario-based organic farm operating a CSA vegetable share program and on-farm sales. Similar small-scale organic CSA operator serving a regional Southwestern Ontario customer base.
• HOPE Eco Farms: Aylmer, Ontario-based organic and pastured farm operating CSA-style programs and farmers market sales. Already a partner supplier to Common Ground Farm and a direct competitor for Southwestern Ontario organic customers.
• 3gen Organics: Wallenstein, Ontario certified organic farm with CSA shares and wholesale distribution. Already a partner supplier and a comparable certified-organic Ontario farm with on-farm and direct-to-consumer sales.

Broad incumbents

• Mama Earth Organics: Larger Ontario organic grocery delivery service offering customizable weekly produce boxes from multiple farms. Competes with Common Ground Farm's CSA model but operates at significantly broader scale and assortment across the GTA.

Others

• 100km Foods: Ontario local-food distributor sourcing from over 200 Ontario farms and producers. Comparable ecosystem role in connecting Ontario organic producers with end consumers and restaurants, though operating as a B2B distribution intermediary rather than direct CSA competitor.
• Local Line: Ontario-based farm-to-business e-commerce platform used by farms and food hubs to manage CSA subscriptions, online stores, and wholesale orders. Adjacent technology provider to the small-farm CSA model Common Ground Farm operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/commongrndfarm
• Instagraminstagram.com/commongrndfarm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/common-ground-market-farm-and-csa

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Common Ground Farm