Robotics Take Root on Local Farms

COLLEEN GREEN The Standard

On a breezy morning just outside Lindsay, the hum of machinery isn’t just from tractors anymore. A small robot rolls steadily between rows of vegetables, its sensors spotting weeds faster than any farmhand could.

“It’s not about replacing people,” said a Kawartha Lakes vegetable grower who recently tested the technology. “It’s about getting through the work when there just aren’t enough hands around.”

Farmers across Kawartha Lakes and Durham Region say labour has been one of their biggest challenges. Seasonal workers are harder to find, and the cost of hiring crews is rising. For tasks like weeding, harvesting, or monitoring crops, automation is beginning to fill the gap.

Robotics are also helping with efficiency. By using sensors and precision tools, the machines can target pests and weeds without wasting chemicals or water. For local farms operating on tight margins, that can make the difference between a profit and a loss.

Ontario farms are playing a role in the broader Canadian shift toward ag-tech. In nearby Tillsonburg, an asparagus-harvesting robot built by a local company is already showing promise, cutting dozens of spears per minute. Closer to home, producers are keeping an eye on similar tools designed for dairy, grain, and greenhouse operations.

“I wasn’t sure at first,” admitted a young dairy farmer near Port Perry. “But after seeing what a robotic milker can do, I know it’s the future. The cows get milked on their own schedule, and I get more time to focus on herd health.”

The shift is about more than technology—it’s about sustaining family farms and rural communities. Robotics could help small and mid-sized operations survive in an era where large-scale farms dominate.

“There’s a fear machines will take away jobs,” said one Beaverton crop farmer. “But honestly, we can’t even find enough workers. If these robots help us keep farming, that means the community keeps thriving.”

Costs remain a hurdle. Many farmers say they’d like to invest, but the upfront price of robotic equipment is daunting. Government grants and pilot programs are helping, but adoption is gradual.

Still, optimism is strong. With local farmers already experimenting and word spreading at co-ops and fairs, many believe it’s only a matter of time before robots become a common sight in fields and barns. “Farming has always adapted,” said the Kawartha Lakes grower, watching the robot trundle back to its charging station. “Our grandparents went from horses to tractors. This is just the next step.”