Heart and Soil Farm NS

07/21/2024

Dahlias we grew for our backyard wedding.
We have LOTS more headed to Betty’s at The Kitch, Eli + Trix and all over town this week.

07/10/2024

🐝🫶🏽🌱

07/10/2024

🌱🪴Summer so far🪴🌱

05/01/2024

Farm stand coming your way this year!
Farm to table: literally.

04/28/2024

We’re back!
Well… sort of.
This year we are not offering our CSA program.
Our garden space needs a rest, reset and some love. This year we will only be growing in three of nine gardens. It’s ok though! There is still lots in the works for farm fresh food. We have a cute little farm stand on the way, the same big, colorful menu you know and love, just a smaller scale.

If you’ve been one of our annual customers please don’t worry, you’ll be able to get everything you need but on a more flexible schedule. Same place, same farmer!

Along with our usual veggies and herbs we will have cut flower mixes and large dahlia blooms for sale via the farm stand as well.

We could never turn our back on farming. It’s who we are. So this was the best compromise: still sending farm grown food into our community and also taking our time with it. Win-win.

01/29/2024

Snowed in? We can help.

09/13/2023

This photo is one of fifty examples of why this year was absolutely unrelenting on small scale farmers. We are no exception to that list.

Pictured is what we harvested for strawberries from 36 plants. 36 plants that were sown by hand and grown with so. much. thought. Nurtured, hours spent watering and w**ding. For half a box of berries. Last year we filled nine flats.

We should have had 30+ buckets of cucumbers, instead we had a grand total of 2 buckets.
No zucchini, squash, pumpkins, beets, carrots, big onions, hot peppers, arugula, turnip or peas. None.

What didn’t initially burn later on just drowned. What died in the heat waves was carefully reseeded in hopes of a bumper crop. The floods literally washed our money down the drain. We don’t have it in us to replant and hope and loose again this year. We’re done.

Our CSA had a record low. That combined with the inability to generate any extra income with our beloved gardens is just too much.

Next year we will invest back into our soil and the land. We will plant one of nine gardens and the greenhouse. Maybe.

We are one of hundreds of small scale farms who are fighting for the good life and are still digging their heels into farming. We just need a break.

08/31/2023

CSA folks: this is waiting for you.
Please be sure to visit the farm stand this evening as this is the very last CSA of the season.
Carrots
Spicy peppers
Sweet bell peppers
Cherry tomatoes
Vine ripened Roma tomatoes
Big red onions
Zinnia bouquets
Cucumbers
and apple mint

We will have a special rescue puppy named Sweet Pea helping thank you all for your patronage this year.

08/26/2023

This has been one incredible and challenging summer for us and many other small family farms.

The weather has beaten and battered us however it could this year but, we still made it.
Our greenhouse is bursting at the seems and the field crops will hopefully make a comeback before the frost. If they don’t, we know we did all that we could and enjoyed all the sunshine we could.
Hopefully the government, weather and love of locally sourced food cooperate for us next year!

08/24/2023

Tonight’s CSA:
Leeks
Onions
Vine ripened Roma tomatoes
Rainbow cherry tomatoes
Field cucumbers
Three colors of beans
And a bushel of carrots

Please note our family is having some health issues. For that reason tonight’s CSA will be self serve. Just grab your tray, they’re all the same, and enjoy your week. Remember we added an extra week next week for you all because of the weather earlier in July.

Thanks for allowing our family to feed yours this season.

08/10/2023

This is your CSA tonight:

08/10/2023

📢CSA Folks📢
We’ll have your items ready for you for 6:15 -7:30 today!

07/13/2023

Herbs are picked.
Tomatoes ripened.
Cucumbers washed.
Park Choi packed.
Lettuce shook and bagged.
Onions trimmed.
Peppers plucked.

CSA READY!
See you all at 6:30-7:30 tonight!

07/12/2023

Dear CSA participants!
We have been having an issue with emails it seems. We’ve noticed some may not have received their information and receipt. For that reason we will be printing your individual receipts for tomorrow evenings pick up while we sort the gmail issue.

🚨CSA pick up is TOMORROW evening from 6:30-7:30pm
📍1213 Lower Branch Rd, Branch LaHave
🧺 Please being a reusable bag or box for your items. We have some on hand in case you forget.
🚘 Please park to the right of the driveway if possible. We typically find a pick up rhythm by week two and everyone gets the layout of where to park or turn.
👧 If you plan to bring your kids to meet our goats please note the pen is still quite soggy. Next week we will have some snacks available to feed Bean & Remi 🐐.
📄 If anyone requires anything else in paper copy such as the program details kindly let us know.

Lastly we apologize for any lack in communication. We’ve had some emergent situations in our small family but are now on the other side of it.

We cannot wait to meet (and feed) you and your families! See you TOMORROW!!!

07/01/2023

CSA folks:
Due to the week of rain, we are asking those CSA customers to kindly note we will be postponing our first pick up of the season to July 14. We will have a bountiful and huge box ready for everyone and can’t wait to meet you all!!

Please pray for the soggy lettuce and flooded pepper beds, we’re sure they’ll make a full comeback with a little sunshine.

Our first extra big box will have:
lettuces,
big bundles of oregano,
big bundles of thyme,
rainbow bell peppers,
bok choy,
basil,
Spring onions/shallots
& spinach mix!

06/23/2023

Our CSA has been a hit these past few years. We know a good thing when we create it and this year will be no exception.
Last year we supported 38 families and 6 local (amazing) restaurants.
We want do it again, but better. Each year we plant, learn from, care for and harvest from our land. Every year we get better, more efficient and experienced. We took the time last year to ask questions, get to know our clients and what they really enjoyed and what they didnt. We've created a wonderful harvest schedule full of color and flavor based on those insights. Youll find the local tried and true staples with some fun, new things you may have never tried and we hope you will love. It changes every week.

To register and reserve your CSA space head to https://form.jotform.com/230804001516239.

Our CSA registration is now LIVE. Once the limited spaces have been reserved, that is it. Last year we had a waitlist of 17 families, dont wait and miss out on some amazing food from your favorite local farm.
8 weeks of farm fresh food.
One flat rate of $300.
Thursday evenings from 7-8pm.
July 7th to August 25th.
Funds sent to [email protected] and receipt emailed. Please include your current email address in the EMT notes. (Often times EMT transactions negate the senders email and receipts have been returned this past week).
Thank you as always for supporting our small family farm!

05/22/2023

From —
Did you know Nova Scotia has the most farmers' markets per capita in Canada?

FMNS has grown from 11 markets in 2004, to 44 markets in 2023.

Our vibrant farmers' market culture is a staple of nova scotia. Keep our community strong by supporting your local farmers' market. Find a market near you by visiting our online map, link in bio.

http://farmersmarketsnovascotia.ca/find-a-market-new/

05/19/2023

We sold out in two days last year! So this year we want to be sure everyone can get their hands on some chocolate sunflowers. We are now taking orders for the following potted flowers and herbs:

- chocolate sunflowers - pots of three.
(grow multi head flowers that are dark. Smaller in size, can fit in a large pot on a patio or be direct planted). $8

- giant sunflower - pot of one.
(Huge typical sunflowers that can grow ten feet high with 20lb heads). $8

- mini sunflowers - pot of seven
(Miniature typical coloured sunflowers that love patios and potted areas). $8

**NEW**
- purple/lavender sweet pea flowers - pot of three $8
- Dahlia mix - pot of several $8
- Zinnia giant - pot of three $8
- Godetta - pot of several $8
- Lime Basil (edible) - pot of several $8
- Windowsill Dill (edible) - pot of several $8
- Chocolate Mint (edible) - potted $8
- Parsley (edible) - potted $8
- Amarath Basil (purple, edible) - pot of several $8

Just send a DM to order and arrange pick up.

05/19/2023

The 2023 grow season starts now!
We just spent this week planting over 5000 seeds.
Our CSA (weekly veggie box) is almost full and the gardens have all been rolled. Here. We. GO!

05/14/2023

🚨CSA families: we are reaching out to those who have applied and sent payments - spaces are now VERY limited.🚨

Our CSA has been a hit these past few years. We know a good thing when we create it and this year will be no exception.
Last year we supported 38 families and 6 local (amazing) restaurants.
We want do it again, but better. Each year we plant, learn from, care for and harvest from our land. Every year we get better, more efficient and experienced. We took the time last year to ask questions, get to know our clients and what they really enjoyed and what they didnt. We've created a wonderful harvest schedule full of color and flavor based on those insights. Youll find the local tried and true staples with some fun, new things you may have never tried and we hope you will love. It changes every week.

To register and reserve your CSA space head to https://form.jotform.com/230804001516239.

Our CSA registration is now LIVE. Once the limited spaces have been reserved, that is it. Last year we had a waitlist of 17 families, dont wait and miss out on some amazing food from your favorite local farm.

8 weeks of farm fresh food.
One flat rate of $300.
Thursday evenings from 7-8pm.
July 7th to August 25th.
Funds sent to [email protected] and receipt emailed. Please include your current email address in the EMT notes. (Often times EMT transactions negate the senders email and receipts have been returned this past week).

Thank you as always for supporting our small family farm!

04/09/2023

Looking for the perfect summer job? We’re still accepting applications for the Clean Leadership Summer Internship Program. From community gardens to vineyards and museums to tourism, we've got 40+ opportunities available to work in the clean economy across !

Apply now: https://buff.ly/40qg41f

03/22/2023

Our CSA has been a hit these past few years. We know a good thing when we create it and this year will be no exception.
Last year we supported 38 families and 6 local (amazing) restaurants.
We want do it again, but better. Each year we plant, learn from, care for and harvest from our land. Every year we get better, more efficient and experienced. We took the time last year to ask questions, get to know our clients and what they really enjoyed and what they didnt. We've created a wonderful harvest schedule full of color and flavor based on those insights. Youll find the local tried and true staples with some fun, new things you may have never tried and we hope you will love. It changes every week.

To register and reserve your CSA space head to https://form.jotform.com/230804001516239.
Our CSA registration is now LIVE. Once the limited spaces have been reserved, that is it. Last year we had a waitlist of 17 families, dont wait and miss out on some amazing food from your favorite local farm.

03/22/2023

WE’RE BACK!

Our beautiful little farm is about to explode with life. Gardens of greens, a greenhouse chalked full of tomatoes, fields of cucumbers and more. We missed our customers and sneaking in the back of busy kitchens and working with incredible local chefs. The good news is, we’re done waiting.
It is FINALLY spring. It’s time to wake up this sleepy little vegetable farm and get back to feeding our community!

CSA registration and grow list are going live TODAY!!

03/09/2023

We were nominated by the beautiful souls at Tucked Away Homestead and want to see everyone else in their 'happy'!

Today is Day 1 of our "Life is Good" challenge. At the request of Generation Homestead, we will post photos that bring us joy (no words or explanations) because we all need a little joy in our lives. Ten days, ten people- if we choose you, please continue this if you want to join in the fun.

The next ten days we nominate the following, if you’re already tagged, know we love you.

Sweetwood Farm
Bowtruckle Farm
Taproot Farms
Broadfork Farm
Two Birds One Stone Farm
Seven Acres Farm & Ferments
Sound Living NS
Olde Furrow Farm
Yonder Hill Farm
Sullivan's Family Farm
Yellow Brick Road Farm

Share the love for your fellow farmers, homesteaders and people!

02/15/2023

Happening this evening in Mahone Bay!
FarmWorks Investment Co-operative Limited have been influential in our farming experience!!

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=650561250406629&id=100063582788892&mibextid=qC1gEa

02/15/2023

We have been busy planning and prepping the land and mapping out our nine gardens. We’ve had amazing weather, unheard of to be tilling your beds in January and February, but we are! The greenhouse is bursting with winter onions and radishes already.. wishing I had kept the tomatoes, they may have survived!

Rita (our Zetor tractor supported by FarmWorks) has been an asset to our farm this winter. We’ve had zero issues with accessing our entire property in any and all weather. We’ve spent the nice winter days creating more habitats for the wildlife, improving our trail systems to access all the forest areas and been prepping the garden beds for all the spring rain and where to drain it. We have quite the system now!

Hard to believe four years ago this was literally a mud farm and today it’s a sleepy, multidimensional, massive food source for the community. I still look out the window every morning in awe.

CSA info and a potential part-time position will be posted soon!! That’s right, we need some help. The gardens don’t w**d and water themselves and we take pride in creating an open and welcoming work space. There is a vibe here that includes liking animals, growing food, not worrying about some dirt under your nails and creating something great for our community.

To remind everyone what’s coming, here are some of our favorite days or photos from the past few seasons.

01/22/2023

🌱🌱🌱 INGREDIENTS MATTER 🌱🌱🌱

Simply put, food = fuel...but Betty believes it’s SO much more than that. A great meal is as much a sensory experience as watching a theatrical production or dancing to the best play list. Quality ingredients make all the difference. Fresh. Organic. Local. It's what takes a meal from boring to inspiring!

At Betty's, we hand-select and use only the best ingredients for each of our dishes. Doing so makes our meats more savoury, vegetables more vibrant, and our sauces more flavourful. When you have great ingredients, you don’t need to overcompensate.

We want to let our food shine 💫 We grow some of our own ingredients. We buy from small local farmers, fishers and makers. We support like minded Betties in our community.

When we purchase from other small businesses and try to get as much as possible locally, you’re supporting OUR practices with YOUR dollars. Without your support, we would be left with only "BIG" agriculture and ultimately, subpar ingredients. Eating a meal at BETTY'S is the ultimate way to PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS. You Betties are the BEST. Thank you for supporting local - On so many levels. ❤️

12/05/2022

Hi notes to support this incredible buisness (and dear friend) with our produce yearly. She’s been with us since the beginning, she’ll be with us until the end. Amazing work Danielle! Betty’s at The Kitch Kitch'inn

Under-the-radar destinations from coast to coast that are all about the joy of the journey.