Pfennings Organic Farms supplies produce locally and beyond

Workers at Pfennings Organic Farms near Baden harvest organic spinach during the early fall of 2025. Sylvia Pond/Bernadette Antoniou photo

By Gary West

One of the busiest farms in Waterloo Region is Pfennings Organic Farms, located along the curve between Baden and New Hamburg in Wilmot Township.

Started in 1981, the operation grows and harvests a wide range of organic fruits and vegetables on its Waterloo Region farmland, which is also home to its busy head office.

According to marketing specialist Bernadette Antoniou, Pfennings employs roughly 40 seasonal agricultural workers each year through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Workers from Jamaica make up about one-quarter to one-third of the farm’s total workforce. Antoniou said the seasonal team also includes a large number of local workers from Kitchener-Waterloo and surrounding communities, as well as summer students and other local residents. The farm strives to maintain a ratio of three to four local workers for every migrant worker.

Owner Jenn Pfenning emphasized local food security depends heavily on the expertise of migrant workers. Some Jamaican workers have been returning to the farm since 2005 and now hold experienced, skilled positions, including leadership roles that involve training new staff. Over the years, Pfennings has found it increasingly difficult to recruit enough local workers to meet the labour demands of farming, making foreign workers a critical part of ensuring food reaches consumers’ tables.

As with all farms, each growing season brings its own challenges. Weather conditions can significantly affect crop yields, and 2025 was no exception. Antoniou said strawberries were particularly affected this year, while carrot yields were also slightly below average. In contrast, spinach and beets thrived, with conditions aligning well throughout the growing season.

Despite the yearly ups and downs, Pfennings Organic Farms continues to be a strong economic driver in Wilmot Township and the broader Waterloo Region area. The farm has built a reputation over decades for producing high-quality, certified organic fruits and vegetables, supplying both local markets and more distant consumers.

Its ongoing success reflects both careful management and the vital contributions of a diverse workforce committed to sustainable agriculture.