Benjamin Bridge

1966 White Roak Road Gaspereau

Nestled into the gorgeous hillside of Gaspereau Mountain, Benjamin Bridge is a family-owned vineyard and winery growing grapes on 90 acres of farmland. The McConnell-Gordon Family have been farming for 23 years in Gaspereau and since 2015 in Habitant, Nova Scotia.

Benjamin Bridge is home to some unique products. They are the makers of Nova 7, Nova Scotia’s best-selling wine! They also produce a non-alcoholic wine alternative Piquette Zero, and many sparkling options. You can find their products on their website www.benjaminbridge.com, at the winery, or at their retail partners across Canada. The winery is open year-round.

The team at Benjamin Bridge has grown to over 65 people with 40 full-time employees. They have recently trialed and adopted a four-day work week with time included for volunteering in the community. All departments of the winery worked to figure out how to implement this year-round. But being in farming, this means it’s not without some creativity. Creating permanent, stable jobs in Nova Scotia is important to the McConnell-Gordon family.

Benjamin Bridge is also very in tune with the landscape and seasons. “We love being connected to the rhythm of four beautiful, and equally important seasons, both through the land of the farm, but also the life of the wine once it hits the cellar.”

See their website for more info and photos >

Huybers Dairy Farm

Nelson Hill Road Milford

Sitting atop Nelson Hill and overlooking the communities of Milford and Shubenacadie, the Veno Family of Huybers Dairy Farm are celebrating their 50^th year dairy farming! Alex Veno is the fourth generation to be active in the family farm. He farms with his parents Scot and Stacy, wife Annie and young daughter Athena.

The Veno’s milk 75 cows with 150 animals in total. They grow grasses and corn to feed their cows. They farm about 350 acres in total. Their milk is shipped to Agropur Cooperative and is locally sold under the Farmers brand.

Alex is a graduate of Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Agriculture. When he returned home to the farm, he helped to transition their cows to robotic milking. They installed two Lely A5 robots into their existing barn. Alex believes efficiency is important no matter how big or small your farm is. Using new technologies is one way to help be efficient.

Additionally, Alex also runs a YouTube Channel as “The Atlantic Dairyman” where he makes and shares videos about dairy farming in Atlantic Canada. Stacy is also busy outside of farm activities. She is a talented artist who draws, paints, and makes leather goods. Stacy recently completed her first cookbook called “Farm to Table at Nelson House”. It features gluten free recipes developed by Stacy.

Farming is very much a lifestyle and not a job for the Veno’s. They blend family, creativity, food, and technology into their farm and every day.

See their website for more info and photos >

Recipe:

Seafood Chowder

Vermeulen Farms Ltd.

Rabbit Square Road Canning

Vermeulen Farms Ltd. is located in Canning, Nova Scotia. Started in 1986 by Andy Vermeulen, the farm has grown to 450 acres of vegetable and fruit crops. Andy now farms with his son Ben, and team of over 60 employees.

Andy grew up on a dairy farm and knew he wanted to farm but his focus was on farm to plate. Growing asparagus, celery, salad vegetables, melons, squash, strawberries, and cover crops, the Vermeulen’s pack a lot into a growing season!

Andy studied at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College (now Dalhousie Faculty of Agriculture) and has been farming since graduation. Ben studied at Acadia University and has been farming alongside Andy since 2010. Andy and Ben have worked together and worked through succession planning for the farm. The Vermeulen’s know it’s important for the next generation to have good comprehension of the farm financials right from the start and to understand how decisions and choices impact the bottom line. Andy says, “Succession isn’t about retiring as much as it is about engaging and preparing the next generation or successor.”

Learning and trying new technology and ways of doing things is important to the Vermeulen’s. Growing strawberries in gutters is something Ben and Andy were the first to trial in Nova Scotia and now they grow 15 acres of strawberries this way.

It is also important that farming is treated as a business. The Vermeulen’s have set a vision and mission for their farm. They set goals and are quick to know their numbers. It’s very much a way of life for them but it’s also about building a business and producing high quality food.

See their website for more info and photos >

Seven Acres Farm

1472 J Jordan Road Canning

Farmers Jocelyn Durston and Tim Burns own and operate Seven Acres Farm of Canning, Nova Scotia. They grow a mix of vegetables, herbs and flowers. And, also make naturally fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi. They sell their products through the Wolfville Farmers’ Market and at their own roadside stand located on the farm.

Jocelyn and Tim are both first-generation farmers. Neither one grew up on a farm. Jocelyn has always had an interest in the environment and food. She grew up in British Columbia, went to university there, and wanted to explore farming to connect her interests. Jocelyn worked on small farms in B.C before making her way to Nova Scotia. She started Seven Acres Farm on her own in 2015. Everything is done by hand on the farm. Planting, weeding, harvesting and everything in between is done without the use of machinery.

The pair have deep connections to the ecosystem on their farm. They have been very strategic in farming in a way that supports a diverse ecosystem, to build biodiversity and wildlife habitats, and build soil health. They use recycled materials and timber from their property as much as they can when building projects.

The couple enjoys hiking, bird watching, going to the beach, and supporting other local farmers and food businesses, in their free time. They eat locally and seasonally and are proud to be producing food for their community and province!

See their website for more info and photos >

Recipe:

Garlic Scape Pesto

Good Clean Farm

Salmon River, Colchester County

Working outside and being self-employed are two reasons Brendan Neima and Angharad Wylie love being farmers. They also get to learn about and use a lot of different skills, like plumbing and carpentry. Brendan and Angharad own and operate Good Clean Farm. It’s a small-scale farm located in Salmon River, Nova Scotia.

The farm has been in operation since 2017. It’s a certified organic farm that produces a wide range of vegetables. That includes everything from salad mix to cabbages and other vegetables to make naturally fermented foods like cortido, kimchi, and sauerkrauts.

Brendan and Angharad do everything by hand and grow their food using a no-till system. Good Clean Farm products can be found found year-round at the Truro Farmers’ Market or directly from the farm as they have a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

See their website for more info and photos >

Folly River Farm

Debert Colchester County

The MacEacherns’

Located in Colchester County, Lauchie and Jolene MacEachern and their family own Folly River Farms. A dairy farm where the MacEachern’s milk 95 cows. They also grow forages, grains, and corn on 350 acres of land for livestock feed. They recently installed solar panels on the roof of their barn as well. Lauchie and Jolene are members of Dairy Farmers’ of Nova Scotia (DFNS), the local producer organization that is responsible for buying and selling milk to regional processors.

Getting Started

Neither Lauchie or Jolene grew up at Folly River Farm. Jolene was raised on a dairy farm in Cape Breton and Lauchie worked on a local beef and strawberry farm as a teenager. They both have been involved in agriculture and knew they wanted to have a farm of their own. Lauchie came to work at Folly River Farm as a Herdsman in 2001 following his graduation from university. It was a short-term plan while Jolene finished up her degree. The couple ended up staying for a few years before moving out west to work in agriculture.

Pull to Nova Scotia

After realizing they did not want to be away from family, they moved back to Nova Scotia. Lauchie and Jolene worked alongside Jolene’s parents on their dairy farm. One day the owner of Folly River Farm contacted Lauchie and Jolene to say they were interested in selling the farm. Jolene and Lauchie jumped at the chance to own a farm and moved back to Folly River in August of 2006. After many years of working together with the original owners, Jolene and Lauchie bought the farm on January 1st, 2013.

In the Community

Both Lauchie and Jolene play a very active role in their community and industry. Lauchie has been or is involved with the local Holstein club, Milk Committee for DFNS, as facilitator for Agropur Cooprative, member of NS Young Farmers, and on an the Animal Health and Livestock Committee. He also also coached or helped coach hockey for 10 years. Jolene chairs the elementary school advisory council, has helped with the local 4-H club, manages her son’s hockey team, and is a representative on a few provincial economic development boards as a voice for rural communities and businesses.

See their website for more info and photos >

Small Holdings Farm

1999 Millsville Road, Scotsburn

Small Holdings Farm is an ecological farm in Pictou County, Nova Scotia. It’s owned and operated by Keltie Butler and Michael Coolican. Both Keltie and Michael are first-generation farmers. For Keltie, becoming a farmer comes from her love of food and its ability to bring people together. Michael says, “I wouldn’t want to do anything else.”
Keltie and Michael are heading into their sixth season at Small Holdings Farm. They continue to turn hay fields into garden beds to grow a rainbow of vegetables, herbs and flowers. And, this is always done without the use of pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers. The couple are driven to contribute to the health of the soil and the larger ecosystem of their farm and their community. They sell their products seasonally, spring through fall, at the New Glasgow Farmers Market and through their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. Because of help from their customers and community, Small Holdings Farm is able to raise funds to provide 20 CSA shares to families facing food insecurity in their region.
Keltie and Michael spend their winters shoveling snow, cooking, snowshoeing, and preparing for the busy season ahead with seed orders and crop plans, infrastructure projects and repairs.

See their website for more info and photos >

Recipe:

Roasted Root Vegetables

MacRae’s Rocky Ridge Maple

Nuttby Mountain Colchester County

Getting Started

Located on the top of Nuttby Mountain, Alec and Gayle MacRae started MacRae’s Rocky Ridge Maple farm as retirement hobby. The MacRae’s first started collecting sap as a family endeavor to have enough syrup for themselves but Alec and Gayle expanded once they retired. Having grown up on mixed farms in Colchester County, they were not strangers to farming. They now manage 100 acres of sugarbush and farm with their family: Children Andrew and Elaine, son-in-law Ryan, and grandchildren Shannon and Alexis.

Sustainability

MacRae’s Rocky Ridge Maple is operated with sustainability at the top of mind. They use the water removed in the reverse osmosis (RO) machine for cleaning. They are careful to harvest the wood for their evaporator by only cutting dead wood or dying trees from their woodlot, which in turn helps keep their sugar maple healthy. They produce both maple syrup and maple butter on the farm. These products are available at farm gate, Pavia Gallery- Expresso Bar and Café, and through bulk ordering. Visit their website for more information: https://www.macraesmaple.ca/ 

Connection

This family loves spending time in the woods, working together, interacting with fellow maple producers, and forming connections with their customers. Their job keeps them both active and social! They take great pride in their farm and cherish the time they spend passing the tradition on to their grandchildren.

See their website for more info and photos >

Recipe:

Pioneer Pancakes

Terra Tonics Farm

Billtown Annapolis Valley

Getting Started

Brogan Carruther and Harrison Van Meekeren started Terra Tonics Farm with a dream to grow mushrooms. But, their evolution continues as they now produce seasonal mixed vegetables and microgreens in addition to their gourmet mushrooms.

Growing Strong

Terra Tonics Farm is roughly 3 years old. They operate on about one-third of an acre. Both Harrison and Brogan have a combined farming experience of 11 years. Harrison’s background is in orchard management, and Brogan specializes in mixed vegetables. Brogan and Harrison are committed to growing without the use of chemicals and operate with a no-till system. They feed their soil using high quality fertilizer, made on-site, in a series of one thousand litre totes. The totes are filled with millions of worms which digest the compost.

The Reward

Brogan and Harrison feel that there is nothing better than knowing you are feeding families. They love to hear about the recipes their products are used in. They enjoy seeing pictures of families making use of their vegetables. And, they love knowing that the food they grow fuels their customers in their day to day lives. Brogan shares that it is also fun to see what types of amendments, compost recipes, and watering amounts can increase production. Amature soil science and straight up luck play a huge role in their lives, and they find it humbling to be at the mercy of the maritime climate.

Find Their Products

Here is where you can find Terra Tonics Farm products:

• North Mountain Farmer Market from: May – Oct.
• Kentville Farmers Market: February – May
• Microgreens can be found at: Stirlings Farm Market in Greenwich, Foote’s Farm Market in Centreville, Rising Sun Natural Foods in Berwick,  and all Noggins Corner Farm Market Locations.

See their website for more info and photos >

Nichols Farm

Aylesford Road Aylesford

Apples hold a long standing history in the Annapolis Valley and Nichols Farm is part of that story. Craig and Norma Nichols farm with their children and family in Aylesford. The farm started in 1920 by Jeremiah Nichols and has grown today to include 12 apple varieties as well as growing soybean, corn, peaches, blueberries and raspberries. The Nichols are part of Scotian Gold Cooperative Ltd. and sell their apples their.

Craig and Norma farm with two of their four children. Dan and Sam work alongside their parents and their 50 temporary foreign workers from Jamaica and their local employees. They strive to maintain a sense of community on their farm. In addition to their own farm, the Nichols help manage two apple farm nearby, take care of a cranberry field and Craig also has a construction company. This comes in handy and allows Craig to fulfill his love for machinery.

Dan enjoys knowing where his food comes from and sharing that with others. You can purchase their fruit on site from the “Berry Shed”. During harvest times they offer U-Pick on some of their fruits. Dan has been working at the berry shed since he was 10 years old!

Dan also loves working with plants and the flexibility that farming offers. He has recently built a hydroponic room in one of the buildings on the farm. He wants to grow and sell lettuce and other products in the future.

See their website for more info and photos >

Recipe:

Heidi’s Apple Cheesecake Supreme

Melvin Farms Limited

North Medford Road Canning

Originally started in 1893, Melvin Farms Limited is a mixed vegetable farm. They grow cauliflower, cabbage, green onions, spinach, and leeks. The farm is owned and operated by Richard, Stephen, and Allan Melvin and their families. Together, they manage about 600 acres of land for their crop production. You can find Melvin’s products under the name Vitabite in local farm markets and retailers across Atlantic Canada.

Cauliflower is actually a flower that has not fully developed yet. The leaves of cauliflower are edible but have a stronger taste than the florets. Cauliflower comes in a variety of colours and green cauliflower is produced when you cross cauliflower with broccoli.

Allan loves being a farmer because there is never a dull moment, and each day brings new challenges and opportunities. He also loves the pride that comes with providing food to local communities.

To find out more about Melvin Farms Limited, visit their website at Vitabite.com

See their website for more info and photos >

Recipe:

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Ashcroft Angus Farms

Baileys Brook Pictou Co.

Getting Started

Lisa MacEachern grew up in rural Nova Scotia, in the community of Plymouth. Lisa was a 4-H kid who spent a lot of her time around livestock and farms. Lisa says “I developed a love of working with animals and the land, which later inspired me to attend the Nova Scotia Agriculture College (now Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture) in Bible Hill, NS.”

After graduation, Lisa married her high school sweetheart, Scott MacEachern.  Lisa, says about her husband Scott MacEachern, “he has agricultural roots, that run much deeper than mine, he was raised on a farm with over 100 head of beef cattle, in the community of Baileys Brook”.  This is where the two call home today, with their grown children: Emily, Danielle, and Vaughn.  All three of their children attend or have attended St F.X. and still help on the farm when needed.

Family Roots

Scott and Lisa resumed farming on the family lands in 2015. For a couple years prior to start up they researched various breeds of cattle and the breed that most appealed to them was Aberdeen Black Angus. Its heritage, reputation, and suitability to the climate, piqued their interest. They are excellent mothers, producing healthy, even-tempered offspring and have a reputation for their marbling and tenderness of the meat.  Before long they were buying their first Black Angus and became members of The Canadian Angus Association!  In 2018, they even took in a Nova Scotia Angus Show, where daughter Danielle tried her hand at showing.

Today

The farm occupies over 1,000 acres of their land in Baileys Brook, Ardness, Browns Mountain Road and surrounding areas. They grow their own forage crops including haylage, oats and barley for their cattle. The MacEachern’s depend on their working dog Duke, the German Shepherd!  Lisa says, “He’s a great herding dog, with German Working lines, (West German and Czech bloodlines).  He keeps our cows moving in the right direction during the moves to greener pastures!”

Ashcroft Angus Farms premium beef has become well-known and loved in the Eastern part of the province. They offer an assortment of products such as premium ground beef, AAA Packs, quarters, and sides and gift certificates. You can learn more about their farm and order online through their brand-new website: www.ashcroftbeef.ca.

See their website for more info and photos >

Recipe:

Ashcroft Angus Burgers

South River Ranch

5161 Dunmore Road, St. Andrews

South River Ranch is located in the community of St. Andrews, Nova Scotia. Owned and operated by Carrondale Cattle Company (Ryan McCarron and Kaitlyn Knox), the farm is 100+ years old! Ryan and Kaitlyn have been farming together for about four years. Ryan grew up on the farm, which was a dairy farm but has transitioned to beef and forage and grain crops with working horses.

Ryan and Kaitlyn farm about 1,000 acres and make all of the forage and grain to feed their cattle- right from when they are calves to finished beef. Crops include wheat, corn, barley, oats and grasses. The farming pair use horses when their cattle are on pasture.

When asked, what do you love about being a farmer? Kaitlyn and Ryan say it’s being self-sufficient, working outdoors with animals and being able to create a product for others to enjoy.

South River Ranch sells beef directly to consumers. You can find their products through their website: www.southriverranchbeef.com.

See their website for more info and photos >

Recipe:

Chicken Fried Steak

Belcher Holsteins Ltd.

Fort Belcher Road Lower Onslow

The Porter Family farms 900 acres of land in Lower Onslow and surrounding areas. They have 220 dairy cows, of which 85 are milking. The cows are mostly Holsteins but include Jerseys and Brown Swiss too. The land is used to grow grass forages, corn and barley which are used to feed the cows.

The farm was started in 1955 by brothers Donald and Arthur. It was originally called Porter Brothers Farm but is now called Belcher Holsteins Ltd. Donald’ son Alan and his wife took over the farm about 20 years ago and they now farm with their son Ryan. Ryan is one of five children. The Porters love working with animals, each other, and being involved in an industry that gives back.

The Porter Family was awarded a Master Breeder shield from Holstein Canada in 1991. Awarded by Holstein Canada, The Master Breeder Award is the most prolific accolade awarded by the Association. Ryan is working to continue this legacy with Alan and would love to achieve another shield.

See their website for more info and photos >

Recipe:

Creamy Mac’N’Cheese

That Dutchman’s Cheese Farm

132 Brown Road Upper Economy, Nova Scotia

The Family

Willem and Maja van den Hoek started That Dutchman’s Cheese Farm in 1980. They now work alongside their daughter Margaretha and son in law Charles, who are highly involved with managing and cheese production. The farm is located in Upper Economy, on the Fundy Shore. If you haven’t been, this place is a must see! Willem spends much of his time working on his Farm, Animal, and Nature Park. Follow the trails through the woodlands, along waterways, and meadows. During your walk you will come across hidden animal enclosures, in which you can purchase feed to give the animals.

Their Products

That Dutchman’s Cheese Farm has received numerous awards for its cheeses. They are well recognized for their Dragon’s Breath Blue. This family uses local milk and age-old recipes to create their assortment of Gouda cheeses. Their cheeses are shaped into golden wheels with a natural rind, allowing them to breathe and interact with the air surrounding it. You can purchase this family’s cheese at Masstown Market, Noggins Corner Market, and many small shops around Nova Scotia.  You can purchase direct from them year-round at the Halifax Seaport and Truro Farmers’ Markets, and of course, at their shop located at the farm. They often sell beef and in season fresh cut flowers at the markets as well.

Their Pride

Willem and Maja didn’t come from a long line of Dutch cheesemakers. They moved to Canada when they were 20 years old. They first landed in British Columbia, where Willem worked on a dairy farm. In 1975, they moved to Nova Scotia. When the couple decided to start making cheese, they traveled back to Europe where they lived and worked alongside a cheesemaker for some time. With their skills and newly acquired knowledge from this experience they brought a little bit of the European and Dutch culture back to Nova Scotia with them. In their store you will also find an assortment of Dutch treats and gifts.”

See their website for more info and photos >

Recipe:

Dragon’s Breath Blue Cheese Corn Bake

Millen Farms

80 Little Dyke Road Great Village, NS

The Family

Millen Farms is a family farm that was started from just a few strawberry plants. Today this farm business grows 200 acres of strawberries and 1200 acres of wild blueberries. Ann and Curtis are the owners of this operation, but they couldn’t do it alone. They have four sons, two who help run the farm with their own families. Millen Farms also has 250 employees at peak season. They hire both local and temporary foreign workers. Many of the temporary foreign workers have been farming at Millen’s for years now, and mainly travel to Nova Scotia from Mexico and Jamaica. The farm is located in the Great Village Area.

Their Products

The Millen’s hand rake all their wild blueberries for their fresh pack line. They do this to ensure their blueberries are as fresh and undamaged as possible. They also freeze their wild blueberries so they are available year-round.

During strawberry season, which now runs from June to late September, the berries are picked fresh each day. Deliveries to their buyers usually occur directly from the field. Their products can be purchased at Masstown Market, Sobeys, and other small markets throughout the province. In addition to these products, the imperfect fruits are purchased by local companies and used for juices and concentrates.

Their Pride

This family loves farming because there is no better feeling than getting to see harvest. Seeing something you started from a tiny plant become food, makes the hard work and overtime hours’ worth it.”

See their website for more info and photos >

Recipe:

Millen’s Wild Blueberry Pie

Bramble Hill Farm

53 MacDonald Hill Road Westville, NS

Bramble Hill Farm

Bramble Hill Farm is bringing a fresh, unique twist on a grocery staple – greens! Owner and farmer Cathy Munro is helping her customers eat and live better everyday. She loves to “Pile on your daily dose of green.” Cathy saw consumers being challenged with issues like shelf life, and boredom with simple lettuce choices, so she started a line of greens that are anything but boring!

Getting Started

Bramble Hill Farm is located in Pictou Co. Nova Scotia. The farm is a greenhouse operation focusing on year-round production of microgreens which are packaged and marketed as salad mixes. Cathy and her team deliver products weekly through northern and central Nova Scotia. They  can be found in over 15 retail locations.

Cathy is new to a career in farming. She established the greenhouse operation just 5 years ago. She left a path in fisheries science to pursue her dream of working in agriculture and entrepreneurship. Cathy also has a young family. But, she has learned to balance the needs of a growing family, while starting a business. This is no small feat no matter what the industry, but Cathy found a way to do that while growing Bramble Hill Farm.

Plans for the Future

Bramble Hill Farm has experienced great growth. They have had the assistance of the Small-Scale Accelerator Program, as well as other regional business resources to support them. In 2019, the business was awarded ‘New Business of the Year’ by the Pictou County Chamber of Commerce. Cathy is continuing to grow the business and create partnerships all while focusing on food that is “Fresh. Fun. And full of flavour”.

See their website for more info and photos >

Recipe:

Bramble Hill’s Raw Beet & Goat Cheese Salad

Bayview Poultry Farms Inc.

Masstown, NS

Blake and Rebecca Jennings of Bayview Poultry Farms Ltd. farm along side Blake’s father Glen. The farm is about 116 years old and the Jennings will be welcoming a new farm addition this year.

The Jennings farm 15,000 laying hens for egg production. They raise their own replacement pullets and have a few beef cows, horses and goats as well. And, the farm known for Blake’s Pumpkin Jungle which is 70 acres of pumpkins grown each year. They also grow 20 acres of forage crops.

You can find Bayview Poultry eggs in local grocery stores. The eggs are graded and distributed by Maritime Pride. During pumpkin season, you can find pumpkins at Sobey’s locations across the Maritimes and visit the farm. They also sell hay, squash, gourds and straw.

As a 5th generation farmer Blake loves to supply fresh, local products to Nova Scotians.

See their website for more info and photos >

Recipe:

Classic Eggs Benedict

Atlantic Gardens

1620 Sackville Drive Middle Sackville, NS

Atlantic Gardens, located in Middle Sackville, Nova Scotia has been in the Godfrey Family for 52 years. The Godfrey’s farm three acres of greenhouse and nursey crops. Atlantic Gardens have retail locations selling ornamental flowers, perennials, and other nursery crops. They are open from March 1^st to December 24^th each year. The Godfrey’s use 100% biomass energy to heat their greenhouses.  In addition to their annual and periennal flowers, they have a flower shop in Bedford where they are a proud member of the Teleflora network. They love farming because it is a privilege to work with family.

See their website for more info and photos >

Hutchinson Acres

3396 Aylesford Road Lake Paul

Chris and Anna Hutchinson are maple syrup producers in beautiful Lake Paul, Nova Scotia. They have been farming for about 10 years where they farm about 900 acres of forest. Each year, they install over 60,000 taps. The Hutchinson’s produce a wide range of maple products including: Maple Syrup, Pure Infused Maple Syrup, Maple Butter and Maple Sugar. The sell their products through Sobeys and Foodland stores, farm markets and independent retailers, and online. Both Chris and Anna grew up on farms and love being close to nature and knowing they produce a product that comes from trees.

See their website for more info and photos >

Mountain Base Farm

Coldbrook Annapolis Valley

James and Amy VanderHeide and their three sons Jackson, Warren and Clay own Mountain Base Farm. Mountain Base Farm is a small Cow/Calf farm in the Annapolis Valley. They also operate Coldbrook Farms Ltd., a poultry farm owned by James’ parents John and Jenny. The VanderHeide’s having been farming for over 40 years on their farm.

James and Amy raise their beef calves to sell them to several local farms where they are finished for beef. The chickens they raise on the poultry farm are processed and sold through Eden Valley Poultry.

“We both love being farmers and can’t imagine doing anything else. From the connections we have with our land, livestock and mother nature, to being a part of Canada’s food system, we take pride in every step. Seeing the love of agriculture blossom through our children and watching their involvement on the farm is a big part of why we do what we do every day.”

See their website for more info and photos >

Recipe:

Creamy Potato and Hamburger Soup

Newville Lakeview Farm Ltd.

2740 Newville Road Parrsboro, NS

William, Christine and Yves Davison are proud farmers at Newville Lakeview Farm Ltd. in Newville, NS (just outside of Parrsboro). The Davison’s farm wild blueberries, maple syrup and have a forestry operation on about 2,000 acres of land. The farm started in early the 1800’s. By 1942, all of the farm’s Wild Blueberries were sold fresh, in pints. Most of the blueberries were harvested  by local mi’kmaq families prior to 1990. The blueberries are now harvested by a mechanical harvester. The Davison’s love talking to customers and explaining how they make their products. In1995 they opened their own ‘Cabin D’Sucre’ where they serve fresh made pancakes with maple syrup. You can find their wild blueberry and maple products such as maple BBQ sauce, and wild blueberry sauce at: Parrsboro Co-op, Dave’s Fruit Market, and Maritime Mosaic or online at newville.ca.

See their website for more info and photos >

Recipe:

Blueberry Cream Cheese Squares

Wild Rose Farm

6804 Route 1 Weymouth, NS

See their website for more info and photos >

Recipe:

Wilted Kale Salad

Meadows Brother’s Farm

Barton, Digby County

Meet Young Farmer Thian Carman. When Thian was 14 years old, he became the youngest registered farm owner in Nova Scotia! His passion for agriculture and internal drive to be part of this industry has got him to where he is today. Meadows Brothers Farm is located in Digby, Nova Scotia. Here, Thian and his family raise sheep, pigs, chickens, and geese. They farm over 150 acres. This farm started very small and has grown significantly over the years. Not only is Thian busy on the farm, but he is also a full-time student at Dalhousie University, Faculty of Agriculture.

See their website for more info and photos >

A&J Bent Farms Ltd.

Lawrencetown, Annapolis County

A&J Bent Farms Ltd. is a family dairy farm that has been in operation for more than 100 years. It is owned and operated by Allen and Jacqueline Bent, along with their children; Jen and husband Jonathan, Alana, Jonathan, and Adrian. The farm is located in Annapolis County. A total of 620 acres of land is farmed; growing corn, soybeans, winter wheat, and forages. This family is passionate about the work they do, and their daughter Alana says “there is always something different to do each day, and always something new to learn. I love working outside and watching the crops grow throughout the season. It’s amazing how one little seed over the summer months can turn into food for people and animals”. Their raw milk is sold to Agropur Cooperative.

Fun Fact! The Bent’s also have a small vegetable and cut flower stand on farm that provides fresh local produce to the community.

See their website for more info and photos >

Larry Weatherby Farm

Lower Harmony, Colchester County

Larry Weatherby Farm is located in Lower Harmony, Nova Scotia. The Weatherby’s specialize in beef production. Larry Sr. started the farm and it will be acquired by Larry Jr., making it a second-generation operation. Working along side the father and son pair is Marsha, Ellen Davis and Roy Weatherby. Larry Jr. enjoys being his own boss and watching the hard work put into building the farm pay-off. He also loves working with their animals. This family takes great pride in raising high quality beef cattle.

See their website for more info and photos >

Brookvilla Farms

Brook Village, Cape Breton

In 1974 Colin Campbell started registering purebred Holstein cattle. Colin is the owner of Brookvilla Farms in Brook Village, Nova Scotia. Working alongside Colin are his wife Cathy, son Cyle, daughter Cynthia and brothers Angus and Kevin. This dairy farm crops 330 acres. Their milk is sold to a local processor and can be found at local retailers.  The Campbells say “The milk in the store is never far from the cows that produced it!” This family is very passionate about farming and is very much a family farm. Together as a family they love talking about their cows at the supper table, driving around on the tractors, and greeting anyone who visits the farm. Cynthia says “Each goal that gets accomplished on the farm means so much more when you have people you care for to share it with”.

See their website for more info and photos >

Charles Keddy Farms Ltd.

North Bishop Road, Kentville

Charles Keddy Farms has been in business for 44 years now. This beautiful farm is located in Lakeville, Nova Scotia, and rests on 600 acres. This  family farm, owned and operated by Charles and Doris and their son and daughter-in-law, Phil and Katie grows sweet potatoes, and strawberry nursery plants. A young third generation is also involved on the farm; Charlie and Ben. In fact, Charles Keddy Farm Ltd. is the largest sweet potato producer East of Ontario. Their sweet potatoes can be purchased at Sobeys, Walmart, Avery’s, Foote’s Farm Market, and Sterling’s under the name of Valley Harvest Sweet Potatoes. The Keddy’s also sell asparagus roots, rhubarb crowns, along with raspberry & blackberry canes. Katie says that her favourite part about being a farmer, is that no two days are alike. She also shares that it is a privilege caring for and working with the land.

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Hollewand Farm

Canning, Kings County

Rene and Jose van Vilsteren started Hollewand Farm in 1989. They moved to Canning, NS from the Netherlands in 1988. Hollewand Farm is a pig farm. Originally, the farm was focused on raising weaner pigs but they have been transitioning to a breeder farm which now has roughly 1,000 sows. Their daughter Claudia works on the farm part-time, while also working full-time at Eden Valley Poultry. She says, “Even though I do not plan to take over the business after my parents retire, I will always have the pigs to thank for introducing me to the agricultural industry; an industry that I believe to be very important in many ways!” Claudia graduated with a degree in Animal Science from the Agricultural Campus in Truro.

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Trivee Farms Ltd.

St. Andrews, Antigonish

St. Andrews, Antigonish County is home to Trivee Farms Ltd. Mandy and William Vosman and their two young children Hayden and Mira operate this 65-year-old dairy farm. Mandy has been farming at Trivee Farms Ltd. for 4 years now but she has been involved in farming all her life. She grew up on a dairy farm Milford, NS. The Vosman’s farm a total of 300 acres growing haylage, and corn silage for their herd of Holstein and Jersey cows. They sell their raw milk to Agropur Cooperative, and products are made available in all grocery retailers.

When asked why she loves to farm she says it’s because she can be her own boss, which allows her to set her own business goals. “It’s very rewarding to see your business grow and it’s a great place to raise a family. Lots of things to learn on the farm!” In her spare time Mandy serves as a Director for Nova Scotia Young Farmers.

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Recipe:

Trivee Farms Ltd. Recipe

Archibald Dairy Inc.

New Town, Guysborough County

Dale Archibald and Jonathan Waugh are the owners of Archibald Dairy Inc. This dairy farm operates on 900 acres of land in New Town, Guysborough County, NS.

The farm is 85 years old, and Jonathan who is 24 years old, has spent a large portion of his life on the family farm, from part time during school to full time once he was finished school. Jonathan is a Director for Nova Scotia Young Farmers. The farm also has a custom drag line manure company. Cool!

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Recipe:

Archibald Dairy Inc.'s Recipe

David Bent Farms Ltd.

Middleton Annapolis County

The Bents have been farming for 26 years under the name David Bent Farms Ltd.  David and Pamela Bent, and their children Chad, Nick and Jillian farm together. They have a dairy farm milking 110 cows and cropping 600 acres. They grow forages and corn as feed for the cows. The farm is located in Middleton, Nova Scotia. The milk produced on the farm is sold to Agropur, which processes it into the dairy products such as cream, milk, yogurt, ice-cream, and butter. These products can be found at most local retailers.  In 2018, the Bent’s built a a major barn addition to add more stalls in a bright tarp barn, and their second robotic milking system. This family loves working together, with the animals, and enjoys that everyday on the farm is different. Jillian and her brother Chad have plans to take over the farm when their parents retire.

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Recipe:

David Bent Farms Ltd.s Recipe

Valleyside Holsteins Ltd.

Southside Road Upper Stewiacke

Rebecca and Alex Archibald dairy farm in Upper Stewiacke, NS on a farm that is more than 60 years old. Rebecca is the 5th generation to farm on their property in her family. Alex and Rebecca started farming on their own just over 3 years ago under the name “Valleyside Holsteins Ltd.” They milk about 35 cows and crop 180 acres of land as feed for the cattle. Both Rebecca and Alex enjoy showing cows at fairs and exhibitions.  They farm because they love the landscape, working with animals, and the close-knit agricultural community they are apart of.

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Recipe:

Valleyside Holsteins Ltd.'s Recipe

Wilmar Acres Ltd.

Sheffield Mills Kings County, NS

Wilmar Acres Ltd. is a family run farm in Sheffield Mills, Nova Scotia. The farm specializes in chicken and onion production. Young farmers, Rachel and her brother Matthew, work alongside their uncles Peter and John Swetnam. Wilmar Acres was originally started by their grandfather 62 years ago. Their products can be purchased at local retailers. The onions are marketed under Country Magic Produce.

Both Rachel and Matthew love farming. Rachel loves that there is always something new to learn, and Matthew loves that everyday brings different opportunities.

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Recipe:

Wilmar Acres Ltd.'s Recipe

den Haan Greenhouses

Lawrencetown NS

Luke and his wife Jodi operate 8 acres under glass just outside Middleton.  Their tomatoes and cucumbers are now available year round in Loblaws and Sobeys stores, as well as many farm markets and independent retailers across the Maritimes.

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Recipe:

Den Haan Greenhouses' Recipe

Apple Lane Farm Inc.

54 Prospect Rd Berwick

Doug and Marlene Nichols of Apple Lane Farm Inc. raised their four children on their family homestead that was once Doug’s grandparents. This 100-acre apple farm has been passed down from generation to generation. The Nichols operate primarily a fruit farm, with over 25 varieties of apples. They also grow pears, peaches, cherries, plums, raspberries, strawberries, vegetables, and fresh and dried flowers. Harvest begins in the summer with strawberries and stretches into early November as they finish off the apple harvest. Doug and Marlene continue to sell apples into the winter through the use of cold storage. They strive to produce a quality fruit, that is tree ripened and unmatched in flavour. Apple Lane Farm opens their roadside stand in early summer as things begin to ripen. The roadside stand is open rain or shine! Their fruit can also be found anywhere that Scotian Gold apples are sold. The Nichols have been blessed to share their farm and produce with many visitors and friends who stop by their roadside stand.

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Recipe:

Apple Lane Farm's Recipe

Van Dyk’s By Nature

696 West Caledonia Road Caledonia, NS

Van Dyk’s By Nature is a wild blueberry and honey bee farm located in Caledonia, NS. The farm is owned by Peter, Leo, Charles, Jeannie and Nichole Van Dyk. In total, 600 acres are farmed. The honey bees are used to pollinate the wild blueberry plants but also add honey products to their farm. The Van Dyk’s make 100% Pure Wild Blueberry Juice, Pure Gently Dried Wild Blueberries, Wild Blueberry Blossom Honey and Wild Flower Honey which is sold through their website, Sobeys stores, Wiles Lake Farm Market, just to name a few! They have been farming for 34 years and still run a blueberry harvester on one of their very first tractors bought in the 1980’s!  When asked what they love about farming, “It’s working with family, and teaching others about agriculture”.

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Recipe:

Wild Blueberry Lemonade

Country Magic Produce

1225 Middle Dyke Rd. Centerville, NS

Country Magic products are grown on more than 2,500 acres of the rich soils of the Annapolis Valley (Avonport to Middleton). Dykeview Farms Ltd, Blueberry Acres, and Vital Berry Farms, are the farming operations under Country Magic, while Nova Agri Inc. is the marketing arm focusing on packing, storage, research and innovation.  Dykeview Farms is celebrating its 50^th year of farming, proudly owned by six families who actively work in the operation each day. Their primary crops grown for domestic and export markets include highbush blueberries, onions, potatoes, grape tomatoes, blackberries, strawberries, with grains as rotational crops. Country Magic has quality control and research programs to explore new crops, new products and improved processes as part of their commitment to continual improvement, quality, and safe food choices for our customers. They are dedicated to producing quality Country Magic products that will be part of their customer’s healthy lifestyle.

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Recipe:

Country Magic Greek Style Lemon Potatoes

Little Dorset Farm- The Legg Family

10832 HWY 224 Middle Musquodoboit, NS

Little Dorset Farms was established in 1975 on a 143 year-old farm stead on 600 acres in the
Musquodoboit Valley by Maureen and Ambrose Legg. The farm is named after where Ambrose’s ancestors farmed for many generations in the Marshwood Vale district of Dorset, England. The Farm has remained a family run operation since day one and 45 years later Glenn (the eldest son) is now taking the reins for the next generation with a little one of his own. Little Dorset Farm grows a large selection of crops from Barley, Oats, Winter Wheat, Soybeans, Cattle Corn, Grasses and Clover which is used to feed the Beef, Hogs and Free Ranged Chicken they raise on the farm for their Musquodoboit retail store. Little Dorset Farms have been doing retail since 1982 and offer a large selection of choices, beef and pork cuts, whole chicken and pieces, homemade meat pies, homemade sausages, bacon, and hams.

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Recipe:

Little Dorset Farm Pork Stir Fry

Cochrane Family Farm

5324 Hwy 289 Upper Stewiacke, NS

Cochrane Family Farm, is a certified organic, family owned and operated 30 acre farm with a country store on farm. The Cochrane’s raise and sell local, homemade, organic products and aim to offer a wide variety of high-quality, nutrient dense vegetables, herbs and seeds following a permaculture methodology. They view themselves as partners with their customers, employees, community and most importantly their environment. The Cochrane’s aim to become a destination for providing their customers with not only high quality food, but also to educate and empower their clients to have the desire and the abilities to make better, healthier food choices. They offer on farm workshops throughout the year. Frank, Lisa, and Julie do not use any chemicals in their farming practices; no pesticides, herbicides, chemical cleaning agents or growth accelerators. Their main focus is producing vegetables, heirloom seeds and medicinal and culinary herbal products.

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D.R. Atkinson Farming Ltd.

225 West Brook Road Southampton, NS

David Atkinson farms with his family on D.R. Atkinson Farming Ltd. where he manages 200 acres of wild blueberries and 725 acres of woodlot. David also has an excavation business too. The farm is 100 years old with David farming for 24 years of that time. David enjoys being a farmer because he can be his own boss, have flexible hours, and work with his children Kensie and Claire. The wild blueberries produced on the farm are processed with Oxford Frozen Foods. In addition to the wild blueberries and woodlot, you can find a for-fun feature on the farm- an MX track!

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Recipe:

Wild Blueberry Jam

Revival Seeds

77 Delusion Road Middleton

The story of Revival Seed starts in 1903 with family ancestors moving to Canada and and farming in the Prairies. Today, a 4th and 5th generation of Byrka family seed savers are fortunate enough to have retained a few of the original heirloom varieties along with the growing knowledge and seed selection. The seed saving tradition was officially revived in 2017, almost 100 years after the original garden plots and trials were first carried out on the prairie soils near Riding Mountain, Manitoba. Revival Seeds is located in the beautiful Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia, Canada. The farm and business is owned and operated by Ken and Kathy Byrka, along with their daughters Rachel, Mallory, and Victoria. The  family is committed to providing hardy heirloom, open pollinated, and diverse seed varieties that are grown under organic production principles that contribute the tradition of the original family farm.

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Poynton Farms Ltd. (Newcombes Sweet Corn)

1111 Hwy 341 Upper Canard, Kings County

Poynton Farms is home to Newcombe’s Sweet Corn where Ian Newcombe and Andrea Palmer farm about 120 acres growing Sweet Corn, Potatoes, Pumpkins, Blueberries and rotational crops. Ian and Andrea operate a successful farm stand specializing in sweet corn.  They have developed a reputation for having the best sweet corn in the valley with a following that has spread throughout Nova Scotia. The farm stand is open from late July to Labour Day Monday. Ian and Andrea are proud that youth from their community have operated the stand for many years, including their now-grown children.

Over his 30+ years, Ian has carefully selected the best-tasting varieties to keep customers coming back for more. They serve with a smile, and share the proper cooking techniques for corn so that it stays as sweet as it was on the stalk. The secret?? Steam your corn for 3-5 minutes, just enough to warm it up and melt your butter. Some people even enjoy it raw!

Poynton Farm is also known for their large, painted signs that line the road leading to the stand. People love to pose for pictures with ‘Big Ian’ – and get a bigger thrill if Ian happens to be there to pose with them.

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Recipe:

Fresh Corn Salsa

Elmridge Farm

765 Bains Rd, Centreville, Nova Scotia

Elmridge Farm is a third generation family farm located in the beautiful Annapolis Valley. Owned and operated by Greg and Suzanne Gerrits, their two children Gillian and James and a dedicated team of local and international farm workers. They grow a wide variety of fresh market fruit and vegetables, the majority of which are grown pesticide free.

Pesticide free indicates that the item has been grown without the use of conventional pesticides by using natural biological controls and good management.  Compost and green manure are used as their main source of fertilizer. After 25 years of adopting safer, more natural ways to grow produce, they have reduced conventional pesticide use by 95%.  They continue to develop better ways of growing produce safely and naturally. Crops the Gerrits’ have successfully grown pesticide free are labeled as such so their customers know exactly what they are getting .

Their produce can be purchased at many farm markets and farmers’ markets throughout the province.

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Snowy River Farms

15439 HWY 224, Cooks Brook, Nova Scotia

The Hill Family operates a small family farm located in Cooks Brook, Nova Scotia. They are Mom (Amy) and Dad (David) to their children Ayla and Ezekiel and passionate growers of food that you can feel good about feeding to your own family.  Snowy River Farms is committed to providing consumers with pasture-raised, products created in a humane and ecologically friendly manner. They strive to use what nature provides to fuel our bodies, minds, and souls. Their livestock are pasture and woods raised, fed fruits and veggies and their feed is certified non-GMO so you can be comfortable knowing they feed them only what nature provides. Their produce and herbs are grown naturally without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or biosolids and focus greatly on companion planting methods. 

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Recipe:

View Snowy River Farms' Recipe >

Sullivan’s Family Farm

161 Sullivan Road, Nuttby, Nova Scotia

Sullivan’s Family Farm is a small family farm that sits near the top of Nuttby Mountain. The Farm has been in the Sullivan family for generations and although it hasn’t been active for many years, Ryan and Chelsea moved back with their family (7 year old, and 3 year old twins) and have started to reactivate it. 

The farm focuses on naturally raised meats! This includes a recognized Heritage breed of pig call Berkshire. They sell Berkshire Pork and Berkshire Piglets. Sullivan’s’ raise their Swine in a mix of pasture and wood lots, with lots of room to forage, play and thrive! Their Poultry (meat kings and laying hens) are certified free range meaning they have access to outdoors at all times. The Sullivan’s also sell live poultry which consists of Day-Old Meat Chicks, Laying Chicks and Ready-To-Lay Hens between Spring and Fall of each year.  You can pick up Sullivan’s processed Chicken and fresh seasonal veggies at the Farm. Dexter’s Butcher Block in Tatamagouche carries their free-range eggs and chicken. And- Sullivan’s also offer a portable Petting Farm which comes to you!

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Cornwallis Farm Ltd.

Port Williams, Nova Scotia

Craig, Geneve, Brian, Edna, David and Evan Newcombe farm together under the name Cornwallis Farm Ltd. This 10th generation family farm has been in operation since 1761 and consists of 1,700 acres in the Annapolis Valley and is home to dairy cows, laying hens, and broiler chickens.  In addition, the farm produces a number of crops and has an on-farm feed mill to provide feed for all of their livestock.

The Newcombes laying hen operation consists of 21,000 laying hens that produce about 20,000 table eggs daily. The eggs are shipped to Atlantic Poultry Inc. for grading and distribution under the Nova Egg label. They have six chicken broiler barns that produce 1.4 million kilograms of meat each year. Their broilers are shipped to Eden Valley Poultry for processing and distribution. Sixty-five dairy cows are housed in a free-stall barn. The cows are milked twice a day in a milking parlour. The milk is processed through Agropur Cooperative. All of their farm products are available in your local grocery stores.

The Newcombe’s take great pride in our family farm and in being able to provide Nova Scotian families with safe, nutritious food that is available in your local grocery stores.

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Recipe:

View Cornwallis Farm's Recipe >

Manning Family Farm

50 Oakdale Lane, Falmouth, Nova Scotia

Manning Family Farm started in the mid-1960s with Dean’s parents, Malcolm and Gail, purchasing the present farm location in Falmouth, Nova Scotia. It has since developed into a mixed farm operation consisting of greenhouses, vegetables, grain and beef cattle. Dean and Catherine returned to the farm in 1997 after completing their respective degrees in Plant and Animal Sciences at the NSAC and working off farm for about 10 years. For a long period of time, produce was sold through an on-site market, and is now sold by wholesaling to other local markets. Over the years they have also been able to extend our growing season to almost year-round production. Their commercial and purebred beef herd compliments the vegetable production with approximately 80 breeding females and 8 bulls. Dean and Catherine have two children who are both in university.

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Recipe:

View Manning Family Farm's Recipe >

My Grandfather’s Farm

1824 Middle River Road, Union Centre, Nova Scotia

Darrell and Vonda Roddick were looking for a place to live when they retired and Darrell’s Grandfather’s farm kept drawing the couple in, first as a cottage and now it’s a small farm! The farm was established in 2018.

The Roddick’s sell produce, berries, cut flowers, herbs, rhubarb, pickles, preserves, jams, jellies and beer bread! They also sell vegetables during the winter from their small greenhouse. My Grandfather’s Farm is hoping to have corn for popping this year and some apples, peaches and pears!

My Grandfather’s farm has a farm shop located at 1824 Middle River Road, Westville, NS and they also sell at the New Glasgow Farmers Market and have a Market cart they use to sell in Westville, Nova Scotia.

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Recipe:

View My Grandfather's Farm's Recipe >