Molson Farm, Falconcroft

The condominium building you see at 67 rue Principale was built in 2015. Its name, Clos du Faucon, and its architecture are inspired by the farm that stood there until the early 2000s. 

In 1936, John Henry Molson acquired lots 393 to 398. They included a boomtown-style house still standing at 95 rue Principale, a small farm with a century-old house then owned by Ovila Beaulieu, and part of the hill behind the farm that is now named Cap Molson. On this promontory, which can be seen just behind the actual building, he built himself a spacious home. And on the land below, he enlarged the farm and named it Falconcroft. “Croft” is a traditional Scottish term for cultivated land surrounded by low walls.

John Henry Molson, (1896-1977)
Photo by William Notman & Son Ltd.
McCord-Stewart Museum, Montreal, 1949

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John Henry Molson came from a prosperous Montreal family whose business has been closely linked to the economic development of Quebec since the 18th century. When he purchased land in Saint-Sauveur-des-Monts, he was forty years old and vice-president of the Molson brewery.

He was part of the fourth generation of the Canadian-born Molson family, and like many of his descendants, he cultivated a sense of discretion and duty. During the First World War, he joined the Black Watch and was taken prisoner two months before the armistice. On his return, he joined the company as an ordinary employee and had to prove himself to climb the ladder - an obligatory route for Molson men called upon to run the company. His career focused on people management and the introduction of numerous employee benefits. 

His involvement within the Saint-Sauveur community was also exemplary. Over the years, he donated several plots of land on which the Chalet Pauline-Vanier was built, the Molson Park, the lodges of the Penguins and Red Birds Ski clubs, and contributed to the construction of the small St. Francis of the Birds Anglican Church on Saint-Denis avenue.

The herd of Jersey cows in the field in front of the farm, with Cap Molson in the 
background.

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John Henry Molson had a passion for breeding. Like his ancestor, brewery founder John Molson, whose hobby was growing remarkable varieties of fruits and vegetables, he had the desire to develop top-quality specimens. It was through contact with a Huntingdon breeder, William C. Winter, that his enthusiasm for breeding Jersey cows grew. 

Falconcroft became a model farm recognized beyond the borders. John Henry's financial resources made it easy for him to acquire exceptional bulls to improve his herd. This enabled him to trade the semen of his best breeding stock. With animal welfare in mind, his animals were kept in a healthy environment and lived mainly outdoors. In 1960, a reporter from the Bulletin des agriculteurs wrote that the dairy was immaculate and that stainless-steel barn was impeccable.

Jersey cow
Photo: Fromagerie Missiska, Bedford

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Jersey cows are renowned for their high-fat and high-protein milk, which is ideal for butter and cheese. As its name suggests, the Jersey cow comes from Jersey, one of the Channel Islands, and its isolated location helps to guarantee the purity of the breed. It was introduced in Quebec during the second half of the 19th century, embarking on migrant ships to supply milk during the trip. Its gentle temperament, brownish coat and prominent eyes with long eyelashes make it a popular breed with breeders and the public alike.

Under the supervision of Philippe Lalonde, manager of the Falconcroft dairy for almost twenty years, the genetic improvement program was a success as evidenced by the prizes won in agricultural competitions such as the gold medal awarded to the bull “Falconcroft z Milkman” whose 14 daughters averaged 11.953 lb. of milk and 647 lb. of fat! This was reported in Le Clairon de Saint-Hyacinthe on May 12, 1966.

Chicken coop on the Falconcroft Farm 1960-1970.

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The farm would not be complete without its vegetable garden, berries and poultry: chickens and pheasants. The farmhouse had its own ventilation and air-conditioning system, which was a novelty at the time. It is said that skiers sometimes encountered gallinaceous birds escaping from the farm on the slopes. And what can we say about Madame Lalonde's blackcurrant wine, which, according to J.H. Molson, was far superior to imported ports and much appreciated by her friends in Montreal's Golden Square Mile?

Rotary calendar for calving management with the Falconcroft Farm emblem.

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Falconcroft long withstood the changes that had taken place in the Saint-Sauveur landscape. The farm was in operation for almost forty years, meaning that many locals still remember its presence. As Michel Fortier wrote in the Journal de Prévost: “The Molson Farm left its mark on my childhood, as my family used to go every weekend to the Lac des Becs-Scies cottage. Before the Laurentian Autoroute was built, it was a must-see attraction. Everyone going to the village of Saint-Sauveur had to pass by the farm, occasionally stopping to admire or feed the beautiful Jersey cows raised there. 

“John Henry Molson sold his farm in 1971 at the age of 75. The rest of the land and his house on Cap Molson were sold by his heirs when he died in 1977. An auction was held, attended by ma y, including singer-songwriter Jean-Pierre Ferland, who brought back two small calves for his farm in Saint-Norbert.

The farm was gradually abandoned and the last excavation work in 2005 took away the last traces of an original farming operation that contributed to the evolution of Jersey cattle breeding in Quebec.