Julie and Greg Thorp (Thorp Family Organic Farm – product line)

John (Jack) Thorp’s son, Greg, has expanded his greenhouse business to produce large quantities of cucumbers and grape tomatoes.

The Thorp’s operate Riverside Nursery east of Sawmill Rd – (foot of Thorp Rd) and
SAGE Greenhouses on Black Sage Rd.

Riverside Greenhouse and Nursery is still a family business, still located on John Thorp’s original farm in Oliver. It offers to the surrounding area quality bedding-plant and agriculture products as well as sincere service and customer support. In keeping with tradition, Riverside is always trying to best fill the customers needs.

Grape tomatoes in a clam container pictured above.

Greg Thorp tells of the help given to him by Community Futures – allowing him to borrow money and develop marketing strategies to find the people and organizations in North America that are seeking out organic table food. Community Futures also helped with getting Fortis to supply gas that is needed for a successful and cost effective green house production facility. Thorp says the expansion should be in full gear starting after the new year.

Five years ago 32,000 sq. feet of green house space mostly for bedding plants was needed but the market has changed. Now with the completion of a costly expansion and refit with another acre of space developed under the dome for organic products – grape tomatoes and cucumbers. Thorp says he employs 10 to 15 persons most of the year when plants are growing with the labour force growing to 50 at the time of picking and shipping.