Farmers open their doors to the public
There will be no question about who left the proverbial barn door open on Sunday — it’s Nova Scotia farmers. And it’s certainly not too late to have a look inside. In fact, that’s the point.
The Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture (NSFA) is once again sponsoring Open Farm Day. Farmers of goods from blueberries, pears and cranberries to beef, poultry and soybeans, and everything in between, will take part in the province-wide event geared to connecting local farmers with the community.
“We’re giving you a backstage pass to meet your farmer, and really see where your food comes from,” says Maxine MacLean, policy and communications coordinator for the NSFA. Founded in 1895, the NSFA represents more than 2,400 farm families in the province. Now running for 16 years, the aim of the event is to give the public a first-hand look at local farmers and their hard work and dedication to some of the country’s best products and services.
“We are expecting about 20,000 visits this year,” says MacLean, who adds that people will be able to find a participating farm in pretty much every area of the province.
Nova Scotia is home to a uniquely diverse array of farms, due in part to an accommodating climate, but mostly because of a committed group of exceptional growers.
On one end of the province you can find Wild Rose Farm in Gilbert’s Cove, which offers a Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) program that provides a weekly organic veggie share. Members can join and pay for their portion, and then pick up or receive an assortment of in-season produce, preserves, herbs and even teas.
On the other end of the province, people can get up close and personal with alpacas at Mamie’s Alpacas in Inverness, or Hampton Farm in Southampton. You can even see some honey bees and an astounding array of natural beeswax candles and honey skincare products at Swinkels Bee Products in Antigonish.
You can also get a firsthand look at some incredible bee colonies or how farmers extract and process honey at Wood’n’Hive Honey in Port Williams.
If wine is more your style, you’re in luck because Nova Scotia has some of the best vineyards in Canada, maybe even North America. With more than 70 grape growers,
harvesting more than 800 acres of fruit in seven different regions across the province, Nova Scotia has earned the right to boast. And Grand Pré Wines is more than happy to open its doors this Open Farm Day. Come out for a tour and winetasting at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
This year’s event also includes a brewery. Meander River Farm and Brewery is an award-winning craft brewery that offers tastings of the many recipes, which use local ingredients to create some pretty unique flavours.
And for you tech-junkies, how about a robotic dairy? Winding River Farms in Stewiacke has taken the term “Got Milk” to a
new level, utilizing mechanical milkers decked out with lasers that can figure out a cow’s exact position, how much milk she is producing and even how much she is eating, all of which require no human intervention. After touring the modern dairy barn and getting to know the cows and calves, you can catch a hayride.
This Open Farm Day offers something for everyone with 29 farms participating so far. It is the perfect opportunity for people to see just how much the province has to offer. For a complete list of all of the participating farms that is updated daily, go to www. meetyourfarmer.ca.