Eating Your Way Through the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia

Pick Your Own

What could be better than a sunlit afternoon spent in the midst of fruit trees or bushes? The picking is the fun part whether you are looking for a healthy snack for the road, or just an excuse to spend a day in the country. The Annapolis Valley is renowned for its apple orchards, and you will find many farms that press their crops into cider as well as offering fruit to pick from the tree.

From spring to fall, as the crops become ripe, you will find pick-your-own opportunities for blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and plums. The Annapolis Valley is also home to the Atlantic giant pumpkin, a variety that has broken world records and spawned the Pumpkin Festival in Windsor, Nova Scotia.

There are many, many choices. I recommend the following: Stirling Fruit Farms near Wolfville (strawberries, apples, pumpkins) and Reimer Gardens in Waterville (raspberries, blueberries). You can also check what’s in season and where to get it at PickYourOwn.org.

Drink Your Fruits And Vegetables

No matter what time of year it is, you can enjoy the fruits and veggies of the Valley in distilled form via one of the area’s craft distilleries. Barrelling Tide Distillery in Port Williams produces liqueurs and spirits from produce grown in the Valley, including rum, gin, vodka and specialties like Tide Rhubarb Gin, available only during the summer months.

I especially recommend spirits that beautifully capture local fruits in luscious liqueurs, including black currant, cranberry, cherry and more. You’ll find premium vodkas and rums, creative liqueurs like salted caramel and homemade apple pie, and canned beverages at Coldstream Clear Distilleries.

At Tangled Garden, you can sample rose petal ice cream or herb jellies, along with unique herb-based liqueurs, all made from what is grown on the three-acre property. Still Fired Distilleries in Annapolis Royal offers premium spirits crafted in small batches from local and natural ingredients, including vodka, gin, rum and several flavors of moonshine.

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