Coastal Grove Farm: The Story So Far
A few years have elapsed since 2020 when Kathy Johnson wrote a story for Saltwire on our efforts here at Coastal Grove Farm, so let’s jump into Sherman’s “WABAC Machine” and see what happened next.
It’s 2015, and Matt is researching the effects of climate change in Nova Scotia and discovering that the Southwestern part of the province is actually called “the banana belt of Nova Scotia” because of its comparatively mild winters and temperate summers. We call it “heaven.”
Fast-forward to 2017, and the not-so-fun part has begun: our application for immigration to Canada is filed and we’re waiting for approval. Yikes!
Phew! Approved! It’s August of 2019, and we’re planting test beds of tea to see which varieties are hardy enough to endure Nova Scotia winters. Fingers crossed!
Now it’s March of 2020. Nations are closing borders due to the global pandemic. We get a little worried Canada might not let us in, so we jump in the truck and move to Upper Port La Tour. Not quite the Clampetts, but close!
Now things move along rapidly. In August, 2020, we are planting 15,000 saffron crocus corms that have arrived from the Netherlands. In October, we are welcoming Tilda, the Portuguese Water Dog puppy who hails from Sharmink Kennels in Waterford on Cape Breton Island, and in December, we are renovating our 120-year-old farmhouse despite supply chain issues and quarantines.
Happy New Year! It’s 2021, and we’re scouring the province for materials to erect our 2,500 square-foot geothermal greenhouse all while fending off the deer as best we can given the nationwide deer fencing shortage! When she’s not chasing deer out of the fields, Tilda likes to chill at the beach. Who is a good girl? Tilda is!
And look! It’s 2022, and we are harvesting not only our second crop of saffron, but our first crops of organic mixed vegetables and fresh herbs.
Three years on, Coastal Grove Farm Is Thriving.
First, our saffron, herbs, and custom culinary products—from dried butterfly pea and apple blossoms to smoked sage to a slew of creative presentation confettis and dusts—can be found in restaurant dishes served all over Nova Scotia, including Drift in downtown Halifax, Charlotte Lane in Shelburne, Keltic Lodge at the Highlands in Ingonish Beach, Kiju’s Restaurant in Membertou, and Trout Point Lodge in E. Kemptville. If it’s something sweet you’re after, you can find our saffron in heavenly saffron ganache chocolates made at Petite Patrie Chocolate in Kentville. And if you’d rather not cook or bake at all, you can go all in for a Pertu Gourmetgab private dining experience instead. We’ve discovered the joys of working with creative and imaginative chefs, and we’re always game to try to make their visions a reality. (Something unusual), anybody?
Second, our saffron and herbs are available at a variety of retail locations around the province, and you can find the full list on our front page. We are so grateful for the support of so many small retailers in spreading the good news that organic Nova Scotia grown saffron and herbs are available locally.
And third…
Is the tea ready?
The tea has flourished in ways we never imagined! We identified the varieties that overwintered best and began propagating immediately. We have increased the hardiest varieties of plants hundreds-fold and nurtured them with a compost mixture we make from seaweed we haul—and we mean haul—in buckets from our beach. These efforts combined with our location and climate create a unique Nova Scotia terroir for our tea. We’ve begun experimenting with hand-processing techniques and expect we can offer our first commercial harvest of black and green tea in 2024. In the meantime, for you true tea afficionados, we’ll be offering small-batch quantities earlier on our website and at the Shelburne Guild Hall Market, which operates from 12 PM to 3 PM starting Sunday, June 12, 2023. Stay tuned!
