Is Pingle’s Farm Market worth visiting in summer? My lavender-filled farm day

This experience was hosted by Pingle’s Farm Market, but all opinions, competitive Connect Four game feelings and honey enthusiasm are my own.

The lavender farm visit I kept postponing

This Pingle’s Farm Market summer review has been several summers in the making because I have wanted to visit a lavender farm for what feels like forever. Every year, I say I am going to stand among the lavender, take the photos and live my peaceful little flower-field life, and every year I somehow do not go.

This summer, it finally happened on a quiet Sunday afternoon when my friend and I drove east to Pingle’s Farm Market in Hampton, Ontario. Forty minutes later, we were parking in a grassy field and beginning the farm day I had apparently been planning in my head for years.

Arriving at Pingle’s Farm Market

My first impression was that the farm felt very organized, even though there were several activities happening across the property. It was not overly busy during our visit, and the size of the farm gave everyone enough space to wander without crowding one another.

Near the entrance, large signs and wooden menus explained the available activities, current crops and ticket options. Guests can purchase admission online or on-site, although checking the farm’s calendar before driving out is helpful because crops and events change throughout the season.

During our visit, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and lavender were available, but the selection depends on growing conditions and timing. This is a working farm, so the exact plan may need to follow whatever the fields have decided to do that week.

Games, photo spots and a serious Connect Four match

Before heading to the wagon, we stopped at several of the little photo areas scattered around the entrance. My friend wanted pictures near the tractor setup, and the pastel signs and farm props made the whole space feel cheerful without looking too staged.

There were also plenty of activities for children, including a large playground that immediately caught my attention. I do not have children yet, but I already know that any future child I bring here will be going directly to that playground.

More importantly, my friend and I found a life-sized Connect Four game, and I cannot pass one without becoming emotionally invested. I was extremely competitive as a child, that part of me remains alive and well, and I still lost. Very sad.

Taking the wagon to the lavender field

The wagon acts as the main transportation between different areas of the farm, with plenty of room for families and groups. The ride was smooth and relaxing, and it gave us a better sense of how large the property actually was.

Once we reached the lavender field, we selected the amount we wanted to pick and paid at the field station. During our visit, there were sleeve and vase options at different prices, although current admission and picking costs should always be confirmed through the official booking page.

We chose the sleeve and made it our personal mission to fill it properly. My friend handled most of the actual cutting because I appreciate bees from a respectful distance, preferably a distance where they continue doing their work without flying near my face.

My long-awaited lavender field moment

The lavender rows were exactly what I had been hoping to see after talking about this plan for so many summers. We took our photos, gathered our lavender and enjoyed the calm feeling of being somewhere that smelled lovely and required absolutely no rushing.

The field was beautiful, but the experience felt relaxed rather than overly polished or performative. It was simply a nice summer afternoon with flowers, sunshine and enough open space to let everyone have their own little lavender moment.

Strawberry lemonade from the Pickled Pony

After the difficult labour of watching my friend pick most of our lavender, I was ready for a drink. The strawberry lemonade from the Pickled Pony had been highly recommended, so naturally that became our next stop.

The serving was huge, cold and exactly what I wanted after walking around in the summer heat. It leaned fruity and refreshing without tasting like plain lemonade that had merely been introduced to a strawberry once.

Pingle’s also has a wide selection of sweet and savoury food, including poutine, flavoured popcorn, ice cream, slushies and very large cookies. I did not try the poutine this time, but several people recommended it, so I have already assigned it to a future visit.

Exploring the Pingle’s Farm Market gift shop

We visited the gift shop next and immediately found another colourful photo setup near the entrance. My friend was giving art deco, the background was giving colour blocking, and it seemed wasteful not to make the two work together.

I expected to find produce and farm-made food, but the selection extended well beyond the usual preserves. The shop carried local sweets, tea, dog treats, pet toys, bath products and plushies that reminded me slightly of Jellycats.

Naturally, I searched for something with Noah’s name on it and considered buying a breed-specific item for him. He is a Bichon and Shih Tzu mix, however, and choosing only one side felt like inaccurate dog representation.

The lavender honey changed my matcha routine

The item I was most excited to bring home was a jar of lavender honey. I expected it to be good, but I did not expect it to become the clear winner of the entire shopping trip.

I added it to my matcha latte, along with a little lemon, and immediately thought, okay, this is staying in the routine. Lavender honey as a matcha sweetener is top tier, and I will absolutely return for another jar.

The floral flavour came through without making the drink taste like perfume, while the honey softened the matcha without covering it. It made my homemade latte feel more special with almost no effort, which is exactly the kind of discovery I support.

We also brought home strawberry jam at my husband’s request, and that was very good too. The market sells several varieties of jam, honey, pies and other prepared foods, making it a useful stop even when you are not planning to pick anything yourself.

Visiting the Donuterie and farm market

Our final stop was the Donuterie, where Pingle’s makes its doughnuts and serves drinks such as coffee and lattes. The space also connects to a full market, so it feels more like a small grocery shop than a simple café counter.

You can pick up doughnuts, cookies, bread, prepared meals, meat and fresh produce without entering the fields. That makes the market a practical option for anyone who wants farm strawberries but does not particularly want to spend the afternoon personally collecting them.

I did not spend enough time testing the café drinks for a full beverage verdict, but the bakery selection was generous. The Donuterie works best as a treat stop or grocery visit rather than somewhere I would bring a laptop and settle in for several hours.

Is Pingle’s Farm Market worth visiting in summer?

Pingle’s Farm Market is worth visiting for a relaxed summer day, especially if you enjoy flower fields, seasonal food and activities that work for different age groups. It felt particularly well suited to families, but my friend and I had no trouble filling the afternoon with photos, picking, snacks, shopping and one unnecessarily intense lawn game.

Admission includes access to seasonal activities that may include wagon rides, play areas and pick-your-own fields, depending on the event and ticket type. The farm’s summer crops can include strawberries, lavender, sunflowers, blueberries and other produce, although everything remains weather-dependent.

The farm is located at 1805 Taunton Road in Hampton, east of Oshawa, with directions available through its official contact page. Guests should confirm operating hours, crop availability, ticket prices and pet rules before visiting because those details can change between events and seasons.

Would I go back to Pingle’s Farm Market?

I would return for the lavender honey alone, although visiting during another season also sounds tempting. Fall feels like the obvious farm season because pumpkins and farms simply understand each other, but I am also curious about what the property looks like during Christmas.

Summer had its own calm personality, with flowers, berries, cold lemonade and long stretches of green space. Maybe visiting Pingle’s in every season becomes a tradition, or maybe I return whenever my lavender honey supply reaches a concerning level.

Either way, I finally made it to a lavender field after years of saying I would go. I have the photos, the dried lavender and my upgraded matcha routine to prove it.