Small can be a beautiful thing
Many people here never left the land, and a new generation is joining them. From cranberry exporters to greenhouse innovators, the District of Lunenburg’s farms are growing on their own terms, without giving up the quality of life that brought them here.
Over a third
Over a third of Nova Scotia’s nursery and tree farms are located here.
Top 5
Our region ranks among Nova Scotia’s top areas for farm revenue.
1.5x
People in our region are more than 1.5X as likely to work in agriculture, forestry, or fishing.
THE LAY OF THE LAND
Why farm here?
Shaped by glaciers, tempered by the Atlantic, and an hour from the province’s biggest market, our region has been growing food for centuries.
A moderate coastal climate
The Atlantic tempers the extremes, bringing milder winters and comfortable summers by Nova Scotia standards.
Rolling drumlin hills
Glacier-shaped hills of deep, well-drained soil give the landscape its gentle roll, and have been cleared and farmed for generations.
The LaHave River Valley
A regional weather study singled out the LaHave River Valley as an ideal location for agriculture, with microclimates suited to high-value crops.
Local market opportunities
More than half a million people live in the Halifax region, about an hour’s drive away, alongside a strong local appetite for food grown close to home.
Global connections
Highway 103 runs through the District, putting the Port of Halifax and Halifax Stanfield International Airport within easy reach for global exports.
Room to grow
Farmland and rural properties are still within reach here, from small homesteads to working farms ready for a new generation.
A wide range of activity
Berries & Fruit
Old farmsteads are being reactivated for haskap, blueberry and cranberry crops. Heckmans Island’s Terra Beata Farms exports most of its frozen cranberries worldwide.
Christmas Trees
Lunenburg County is known as the Balsam Fir Christmas Tree Capital of the World, and Nova Scotia supplies about a fifth of Canada’s Christmas tree exports.
Local Markets
Farmers’ markets in New Germany, Blockhouse and West Dublin, plus farm stands and u-picks, connect growers directly with customers year-round.
Local Spotlight
From Conquerall Mills to Cuneo: Petite Rivière Farming Company Takes Its Greenhouse Global
A Conquerall Mills greenhouse startup won first place at an international pitch competition in Italy, and its founder says the South Shore is the place to grow.
