The GTA's best pick-your-own farm — Downey's in Brampton runs strawberry picking in June, pumpkins and a corn maze in October, and a working farm market year-round. The Haunted Farm in October is one of the scariest and most fun Halloween experiences in the region. The farm shop sells jams, pies, and farm-fresh produce.
Neighbourhood: Brampton / GTA West · Address: 13228 Heart Lake Rd, Brampton, ON · Hours: May–Oct daily 9am–6pm | Nov–Apr farm market only · Phone: (905) 838-2990
Why Visit
Downey's Farm is the go-to spot for seasonal fun, from strawberry picking in June to pumpkin festivals and a corn maze in October. The market sells legit farm-fresh produce, pies, and preserves all year.
What Makes It Unique
Unlike city farm attractions that close off-season, Downey’s Farm keeps their market open all year—so you can grab their house-made jams and pies even in winter. Their Haunted Farm event pulls out all the stops with interactive scares you won’t find at other GTA farms. Plus, their pick-your-own fields are huge by Toronto standards.
Downey's Farm in Brampton is one of the GTA's most beloved seasonal destinations, drawing families from across the region for genuine farm experiences that connect city-dwellers with the rhythms of growing seasons. The farm has been operating for decades and has cultivated a loyal following that returns year after year, often bringing a new generation along for the tradition.
June signals the arrival of strawberry season — one of Ontario's sweetest short windows. Visitors pick directly from the rows, filling baskets with sun-warmed berries that taste nothing like supermarket versions. The farm provides pickers, explains the rows, and charges by the basket, making it a relaxed, no-pressure outing. Children are generally amazed that strawberries grow so low to the ground, and the picking itself becomes a lesson in where food actually comes from.
By September and October, Downey's transforms completely. The pumpkin patch sprawls across the fields with hundreds of varieties — miniature Jack Be Littles, towering Atlantic Giants, warty Knuckleheads, and classic carving pumpkins in every shade of orange. The farm adds a corn maze cut fresh each autumn, wagon rides through the property, and a market stocked with local jams, apple cider, squash, and fresh-pressed juices. Fall weekends get busy, especially around Thanksgiving, so arriving early or on a weekday avoids the biggest crowds.
What distinguishes Downey's from pure commercial pumpkin patches is its working-farm authenticity. The animals are real farm animals, the crops actually grow there, and the staff tend to be genuinely knowledgeable about what's in season and why. There's also a bakery on site with fresh pies, turnovers, and baked goods that make the drive from Toronto feel worthwhile even if you leave with only a bag of still-warm apple cider donuts and a smile.