 There's a version of this story where Michael Crich never makes the call. Where he sits on the information a little longer, talks himself out of it, and Wildflowers Farm goes to someone else. But he called on a Friday. At 11:11 in the morning. And everything that came after that phone call has been, by most measures, exactly what it was supposed to be.
5Michael and Michelle Crich are the new owners of Wildflowers Farm, a 9-acre wedding and event venue just outside St. Thomas on Fruit Ridge Line. If you've been to the property before, you already know what makes it worth the drive from London or anywhere else in Elgin County. The modern rustic barn. The gardens. The kind of quiet that reminds you the city was always optional. If you haven't been yet, this is probably the season to go. The Crichs took over the farm in 2025, stepping into ownership with no prior connection to the property and no real blueprint for how it would unfold. Michael had a culinary background from Fanshawe College and years of wanting to run his own business. Michelle had her own professional chapter wrapping up at the same time. Their condo in London was starting to feel a little small for the plans they had in mind. The tip that led them to Wildflowers came from a friend. Michael, for reasons he still can't fully explain, waited a few days to place the call. When he did, it was 11:11. Wildflowers founder Jane Magri was having a hard morning and had just looked at the clock, thinking it would turn things around. Neither of them knew that about the other until months later. Michael and Michelle met with Jane the following Monday. The deal came together over the next eight months. By the time they moved into the farmhouse the Tuesday after Labour Day, they were already planning the kitchen renovation that would eventually make Thyme by Wildflowers possible.  For people who already love the property, the transition has been intentional and careful. The Crichs were deliberate about keeping what worked. The brand, the atmosphere, the vendors, and the feeling that the farm has always had of being slightly outside of regular time. Long-time visitors will find the same space they remember. What's changing is more behind the scenes: an optimized commercial kitchen, a new catering branch, a record-breaking season of private bookings, and two people who have genuinely fallen for the place and its community. "We don't go into any quick decisions with the farm," Michael said. "We have the idea, then we come back to it, then we come back a second or third time before we really make a decision." That approach shows. Mother's Day tea sold out its first seating in under two weeks. A second seating sold out, too. The farm's summer wedding calendar is the fullest it's ever been, with nearly every Friday and Saturday from June onward accounted for. Paint nights, private events, and celebrations of all kinds. The property is being discovered by people who had no idea it was there and is being welcomed back by those whose stories are already intertwined with it. 
This summer, Friday Night Markets return to Wildflowers Farm every Friday from June 5 through August 28, running 4 to 8 pm. There are also three Late Night Markets with extended hours until 10 pm, themed around Barnyard Beats in June, Blooms and Brews in July, and Island Vibes in August. Fall pop-ups are scheduled for September and October, and the annual Holiday Market comes back in November. The markets feature rotating local vendors, two bars, live music, a food truck, a playground, and a fire pit. Parking is free. Dogs on leash are welcome. You can also browse the on-site Farm Store during market hours. Thyme by Wildflowers, the farm's new catering branch, will be woven through all of it. The brand provides the Crichs with the infrastructure to handle food for on-site events and, eventually, to take their kitchen off-site as well. A soft launch with community stakeholders is planned for later this spring. Thyme by Wildflowers is part of the Starter Company Plus cohort through the Small Business Enterprise Centre. Michael and Michelle are already doing the work: building something from a phone call and a feeling, on a piece of land that seems to have been waiting for exactly this. If you want to see what they're building, the easiest way is to show up on a Friday evening this summer. Bring lawn chairs if you can. The tables fill up fast. Visit wildflowers.farm for the full market schedule and upcoming events. If you go
1 Comment
Tanya Wilson
6/26/2026 08:50:40 am
Great article! The realness was captured and heart. Beautifully written. Leave a Reply. |
