Our Roots

The McLachlan Family has owned the small syrup lot outside of London Ontario, near Komoka, for over 150 years.  It has been transformed time and time again, along with land around it.  

Please feel free to read a little history that has been preserved right here in Komoka’s very own backyard.

1st Generation:   Donald and Janet McLachlan, along with their 6 grown children came to Canada from Argylshire, Scotland in 1838.

2nd Generation: John McLachlan, his wife Isabella (White) and their 3 children acquired land at Lot 7 Con 5 Lobo Township here they settled in the log cabin, with their parents Donald and Janet. In 1845 John received the deed for the 100 acres of land.  At this time, 3 generations were living in the log cabin. They cleared the land and farmed it and the maple sugar bush was tapped. The syrup was also used to make their sugar.

3rd Generation:  Donald McLachlan and wife Margaret (Fraser) were the next generation on the family farm. They live in the house which was finished in 1881. He farmed the land, cut wood in the woods as well as made maple syrup from the maple bush on the farm.

4th Generation:  Archibald McLachlan and wife Florence (Janes) were the next generation to occupy the family farm. He farmed the land with his brother, John, and both would go into the woods to cut wood. He, too, made maple syrup from the maple trees on the farm.  The shanty burnt down and a new shanty was rebuilt on the same foundation. This shanty is still standing, although no longer in use. Archibald also planted an apple orchard near the farmhouse.

5th Generation:  Donald McLachlan and wife Helen (Young) were the next generation to live in the family farm house and farmed the land like his ancestors before him.  He harvested the apple crop from the orchard that his father had planted, cut wood from the bush on his land which was used during maple syrup season. He, too, enjoyed making maple syrup, it was in his blood.  Donald made maple syrup all his life.

6th Generation:   Stuart McLachlan is the current generation of McLachlans to occupy the family farm on Gold Creek Drive, living in the farm house that was built in 1881. Stuart, along with his twin brother Ross and wife Kathy (deBruin), farm the land, and make maple syrup, tapping the same maple bush that their ancestors did 100 years ago.

7th Generation:  Chantel & Kurt Kouwenberg, Emily, Lindsay and Shae McLachlan are the next generation to carry on the sweet tradition of making maple syrup.