FERME MARINEAU. 100 YEARS OF FAMILY FARMING.
In 2021, Ferme Marineau celebrated a century of agricultural expertise. Since the early 1920s, five generations have successively worked on the Laval territory. Today, the 3rd (Roger Marineau), 4th (Louis and Martin Marineau), and 5th (Matis, Roxanne, Alexis, and Audrey) generations of the company are still hard at work to continue the adventure. In our fields, we cultivate 175 arpents, which is equivalent to 100 football fields, in addition to operating 18,000 square feet of greenhouses and being a preferred agritourism destination for thousands of visitors. It is with great pride and respect that we draw inspiration from our past to shape our future and innovate.
Odile Marineau
THE LEGACY OF ODILE JOLICOEUR – 1ST GENERATION
The great story of Ferme Marineau began in the 1920s. Joseph Marineau married Odile Jolicoeur, a woman with a keen business sense. She cultivated tobacco and daisies on rented land. The profits from her sales at the Saint-Jean-Baptiste market in Montreal allowed the family to acquire land for future generations.
The hot composting method
The 2nd generation Marineau family
THE FIRST FRUITS OF JOSEPHAT MARINEAU AND HIS LARGE FAMILY – 2ND GENERATION
Josephat Marineau and Irène Jolicoeur have 14 children. Ambitious and competitive, Josephat Marineau quickly focused on hotbed cultivation to stand out. This innovative technique allowed him to harvest early lettuces just in time for Easter and to plant other vegetables well before the warm season arrived. The production of early vegetables became so prestigious that even Radio-Canada annually announced on its airwaves the name of the producer responsible for the first lettuce harvest; Josephat often won.
Hotbed cultivation
Hotbed cultivation consists of building a wooden frame, at the bottom of which a mixture of soil and horse manure is spread to receive the plants. This frame is then topped with removable glass sashes that allow light to pass through and create a greenhouse effect to warm the soil. If necessary, the sashes are opened or closed to control temperature and humidity.
In addition to field cultivation, 1500 hotbeds were used by the Marineau family until 1990. It is interesting to note that at the turn of the 1940s, Île Jésus (Laval) had 20,000 hotbeds across its territory. A hotbed has been installed in our developed park to allow visitors to visualize what it is.
Kiosk on Bord-de-l'Eau Road
A FIRST FRUIT AND VEGETABLE STAND AND STRAWBERRIES FOR ROGER MARINEAU – 3RD GENERATION
After their father Réal's death, Josephat Jr. (Bouboule) and Roger teamed up to establish Marineau et Frères. The first fruit and vegetable stand was born. Louise Saint-Pierre, Roger's wife, managed this farmer's market with passion. In 1989, Roger left his brothers to venture, with Louise, into strawberry picking and greenhouse annual flower cultivation.
Even today, Roger participates in farm work, particularly during corn planting, and Louise is never far if extra help is needed. They have also passed on their love of the land to their sons Louis and Martin (4th generation).
Louis and Martin Marineau
Louise, Roger Marineau and the 5th Generation
A RETURN TO THEIR ROOTS FOR MARTIN AND LOUIS MARINEAU – 4TH GENERATION
While Louis and Martin Marineau initially chose to cultivate and sell dried flowers, they quickly returned to market gardening to create Ferme Marineau as we know it today, with its stands on Dagenais and Samson. Committed to constant renewal, they innovate every year to the delight of their customers. More than just a place to buy fruits and vegetables, homemade products, and enjoy U-pick, Ferme Marineau now offers a true agritourism experience in an urban setting.
A MOTIVATED SUCCESSION – 5TH GENERATION
Roxanne, Audrey, Matis, Justin, and Alexis, the children of Martin and Louis Marineau, are already heavily involved in the farm, and their contributions are essential to the company's expansion. In 2021, the two eldest, Roxanne and Matis Marineau, set up the artisanal ice cream shop and the pick-your-own pumpkin patch, both of which were immensely successful. They also actively participate in the pick-your-own sunflower project and other initiatives. The strengths of the younger children are also an undeniable asset during the summer season, whether in the fields, at the kiosk, or with IT.