For Brighton’s Cricklewood Farm, this weekend marks its final chapter.
Earlier this month, the Siwicky family – Beth and Brent and their daughter Alexis – announced their “bittersweet” decision to retire.
The picturesque farm has been family-operated at its Hwy. 2 location since the mid-1800s, with Beth and Brent at the helm for decades after Brent officially took over the orchard back in 1987.
“It’s been about four or five years in the making,” says Beth, on their decision to retire.
While Brent still wanted to carry on initially, come this year, it became clear “it was time.”
The husband and wife – now 71 and 70 – had already been trying to slow down some in recent years – and are now looking forward to a new chapter involving more time and adventures with family.
However, this wasn’t an easy decision, as Cricklewood Farm over the decades has blossomed into more than just a business for the family and into a way of life. It’s also become a place where generations have come to celebrate fall traditions, whether through pumpkin or apple picking or touring the fundraising corn mazes.
The family says it’s been an honour to be part of families’ stories and traditions this way.
Beth recalls when Brent first took over the orchard and how they initially tried running it as a wholesale orchard.
“We came to the realization that it’s a difficult living to make with a small orchard – it’s the large orchards that make money on volume.”
Of course, over the decades, the farm continued to evolve – and there were some humble beginnings.
Originally a storage building for the wholesale part of the business, eventually, Beth just kept taking on more and more of what is now commonly referred to as the store on the farm, until about half of it was dedicated to the retail side.
By the 90s, the family had shifted to a “pick your own” farm, and by 2001, the popular corn mazes at Cricklewood started, which ended up becoming a popular decades-long tradition.
The mazes have helped raise thousands for local causes and projects. Over the years, the National Air Force Museum of Canada, PrimRose Donkey Sanctuary, Big Brothers, Big Sisters Northumberland, Habitat for Humanity Northumberland, the Presqu’ile Point Lighthouse Preservation Society, and many more have benefited as the Siwicky family designed and created large multi-acre and mini mazes and then donated maze proceeds each year.
“We just found this is such a good way of giving back to your community,” says Beth.
For the final year now, the Trenton Memorial Hospital Foundation was the charity of choice. Beth says they’ve exceeded their $2,000 fundraising goal already to help the hospital with some new stretchers.
Hearing the news of Cricklewood’s closure, she says people have been flocking in – even coming in the heavy rain earlier this week.
In terms of this weekend, it’s normal hours and operations at the 14953 Hwy. 2 farm in Brighton and you can still visit the store or do some picking from 10:30 a.m.to 5:30 p.m. – but as of Sunday, Nov. 2 at 5:30 p.m., the book officially closes on Cricklewood Farm.
As for what will become of the property, Beth still isn’t sure what the owners plan to do down the line.
In terms of what the family is going to miss most, it’s the people, says Beth.
“They will be missed, you know.”
In her retirement years, Beth says she’s looking forward to simply being able to enjoy a summer season. In the past, she’s always been working so simply basking in the sun or a trip to the beach even was considered a “novelty.”
“I am looking forward to being able to wake up in the morning and have a cup of coffee and say what am I going to do today?”
To their dedicated customers, the Siwicky family says they’re deeply grateful for continued support over many years.
(Written by: Sarah Hyatt)
