My husband loves jams and jellies. Homemade are the very best, and when we browse markets, that is some of the first things he looks for.
Last week when we were on vacation we finished up the backyard project ( well at least for this year). There are still some unfinished major things that will happen next year. But last week we bought some shrubs, one being a chokecherry bush that was full of berries.
David got the bright idea that he wanted to make chokecherry jelly. He did some research and these berries are very high in antioxidants. He wanted to take advantage of that and even went back and bought a second bush. ( Although I’m not sure how healthy it will all be when he adds 5-6 cups sugar to it for jelly)
Now the jam making…
It’s his thing and I’m not getting involved except to take a couple pics and give a little advice (& help when needed) in the kitchen.
And voila…7 little jars of chokecherry jelly!And quite tasty on toast.
This weekend, Friday night and Saturday night, Bridgewater is all lit up with CREATIVITY! It’s the Afterglow Art Festival and this year it’s two evenings.
What is Afterglow Art Festival? It is a free art at night celebration of community creativity held in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. For three years the event has brought together artists of all kinds, from budding young artists to experienced professionals from across Lunenburg County to bring exposure to the talent of our community.
This year our daughter Laura is there with Face Forge.
Lots of music and activities and artists…
And my favourite ( other than Face Forge, of course)…
…floating lanterns, LOTS of them, floating down the river
This post made me think of the kids song we always used to sing when my children were little. And today I really wish we still had small children. What a wonderful day!!!
It was our day in the “Valley”. The Annapolis Valley is located in the western part of the province formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy. The Valley is where all the beautiful farms, orchards and vineyards of Nova Scotia are located.
First Stop… Glad Gardens in Waterville. We have never been to this market but it’s awesome. It just so happens that this weekend they’re hosting the Annual Annapolis Valley Giant Vegetable Growers Competition and Weigh Off. The pumpkins (and other veggies) were starting to arrive when we got there. The main event is tomorrow and it looks like fun!! Pumpkins, squash, gourds, sunflowers…even watermelons. Who grows the largest? Some of the largest pumpkins to date have been 1800lbs!! Whoa Baby! We had fun talking about growing LARGE produce with some of the guys and enjoyed browsing the garden. We even got the Japanese Maple Tree we have been wanting.
Next STOP Berwick. Nova Scotia’s Apple Capital and the whole reason I wanted to come to the Valley! It’s the time of year when all those beautiful apple blossoms from the Spring, turn in to delicious apples and are harvested.
We stopped at Wheaton’s for a few crafts and apple cider and then it was on to back country roads looking for the perfect U-PICK!
And it is here in Dempsey Corner that we found the most perfect spot. And where I wished my kids were little again!!!
We had lunch in the Old Barn. Delicious Squash soup and a homemade biscuit. We chatted with the owner about the history of the farm and what they offer.
We spent a lovely Fall afternoon wandering the orchards, picking blueberries and apples. Tasting peaches & cream corn, sweet peaches and apricots, and pears. We had chickens and a little goat follow us around and we thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon! ( just like a pig in mud)
And for the road…some fresh out of the oven baked goodies to enjoy with our coffee! It was a marvellous day!!
Unique, unspoiled…tucked away at the end of a rocky beach. A trail that is 6.5 km round trip. It consists of marine, terrestrial and wetland ecosystems. Both sides have steep cliffs and tidal pools, shale beaches and just AMAZING views along the shoreline. Just a perfect little walk for such a gorgeous afternoon!
And where is this unique place? It is Hirtle’s Beach And Gaff Point.
There is so much farming in Nova Scotia. The Annapolis Valley is prime land for farming from vineyards and orchards to huge fields growing our local produce, as well as livestock. But, all over the province there are so many farms, big and small, producing many of the delicious things we enjoy locally.
Today is Open Farm Day. Farms all over the province are open for tour where you can “meet the farmer”, see what’s taking place, do a “behind the scenes” tour, enjoy some samples (David’s favourite), and purchase products. A day to get out and ask questions!
So many to choose from. How do you decide which one (or two) to see? Well this time the Valley ones are off the list. We’ll do a valley run later in the week. But what local place would be interesting?
We made our choice, now it’s off to the FARM!!
1st Stop: Terra Beata Cranberry Farm on Heckman’s Island just outside of Lunenburg.
This farm is owned by David & Evelyn Ernst and their family and they have been here for 17 years. It’s a a 6 field-12 acre cranberry bog that produces the Stevens variety( larger) cranberry. It is a small farm that employs 20-30 people year round and produces 150, 000 lbs of cranberries per year. They also process and package cranberries, blueberries, cherries and haskap berries from other companies.
It was interesting to see the bog, and hear how it’s all started with vines that take 2 years before they bear fruit but once established produce for up to 100 years. So it really is a family investment. We toured the bog, saw the equipment that’s used to harvest the berries and then went inside the facility to see the cleaning station where the berries are cleaned and sorted and then the “cranberry kitchen” where all the tasty jars of salsa, jams, relishes, and chutneys are done. The recipes all the family’s own. We saw the processing and bottling area where they do the juices as well as the ovens where the dried cranberries are done. All so very interesting and the great part was that our particular tour guides were the young sons, very knowledgeable on every aspect of the business.
David’s favourite part of course was the sampling as well as browsing the “Bog Store” to purchase his favourites!
2nd Stop: Watershed Farm in Baker Settlement.
This was fabulous! This Organic Farm that has a little bit of everything was established by a former film producer from Toronto, Camelia Frieberg, who 15 years ago wanted to get out of the big city and raise her family. They bought the piece of land and started with what is now the studio. It is a small “cottage like” building made using straw bale as the insulation and with a wind generator and solar panels, they lived “off grid” for a few years. Their main house is also a straw bale home and now they have electricity, as well as a back up generator but still mainly use the wind and sun for their power.
I really could have listened to Camelia all day. She knows so much about growing things and has a little bit of everything at the farm. She explained composting. Who thought composting could be interesting? lol. And did you know you could put sheep’s wool in compost? We saw her flock of mixed heritage breed sheep, free range chickens and bee hives. She grows just about every fruit and vegetable, with over 50 kinds of tomatoes, really interesting different things, edible flowers, garlic, grapes, grains, willow for fences and baskets, Jerusalem artichoke ( sort of looks like a small sunflower) for barrier and eating, watermelon, mini watermelons to pickle. She also said there is a program called WWOOF~ World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, or Willing Workers on Organic Farms, which is a national organization that facilitate placement of volunteers on organic farms. She has enjoyed participants from this program volunteer at her farm. I loved the tour and we made sure to bring home some different tomatoes. They taste just like candy!
We are so pleased with our two choices, but wished there was time for more. Ok two quick stops…very familiar places… Wiles Lake Farm Market and Indian Garden Farms to pick up a couple more items.
We will definitely try to visit more farms next year. What a great way to learn about the things we eat and pick up some delicious produce fresh right from the farm!!
September is my husband’s favorite time of year. It’s his Birthday month and it’s usually when he takes a vacation. He loves Fall. Nice warm sunny days ( not too hot) and cooler nights. Although this September we’ve still been running a bit of air conditioning.
Today is officially his first day of Vacay and PRIORITY for this week was a long bike ride! So this morning bright and early off he went with a fellow colleague…
LA TOUR de Honda Fury
First stop…Middleton in the Annapolis Valley. Coffee time, of course!
It was a beautiful Saturday and lots of picturesque places along routes in our province. Unfortunately getting pics proves difficult on a bike unless you are making lots of stops. For the most part they just enjoyed the ride!
And lunch at a great Turkish restaurant ( David said it was my kind of place and we would have to go sometime)
They had a great “tour” and it might have been nice to see a few more places, they both agreed that they are not “long distance” bikers. But then again this was the first long ride and maybe with a few more stops and (pictures for me lol) they would love it.
As promised back in May…Here is my second edition RESULTS page of the quest to find the BEST fish & chips places in Nova Scotia. As you know last summer we did this and in the Spring we decided there were just so many places we didn’t get chance to try that we would do another post.
Fish & Chips is a staple food along the South Shore of Nova Scotia. We LOVE our fresh haddock. There are so many great spots along the coast where it is a feature on the menu. So just where is “the BEST”… the best tasting, the best presentation, the best value for your money?
If you want to check out last year’s list you can click on the link below:
And after lots of study and careful consideration…:) Here are the 2015 RESULTS
May 24~ The South Shore Fish Shack, Lunenburg …revisit
We were here last year, their first season open and we loved it. So back we went. Now this was only the second weekend open this year and once again we thought the fish was fabulous. Cooked to perfection and so delicious. They’ve switched up a bit from being served in boxes to served in baskets ( I like the boxes better) and they also switched from bottles of pop to fountain pop ( not a fan) I don’t drink pop but David does and he much prefers his COKE in a can or bottle, but hey they’ve got it right and serve COKE! The South Shore Fish Shack is wonderful and I know we will go back again. PLUS the view on a summery night is amazing!
May 30~ The Turkey Burger, Cookville ( just outside of Bridgewater)
I think Turkey Burger has got EVERY restaurant in the province beat for portion size. Their servings are HUGE!!!!! I remember eating at the Turkey Burger as a teenager…vanilla milkshake, cheeseburger and fries would be my order back then. Tonight I had a milk shake… and David & I ordered the 3piece fish & chips. The milkshake is large and made with real ice cream and so thick and delicious. And the three piece fish…well, we could feed our WHOLE family with that order. The fish was fresh and flaky, so tasty good. This restaurant is a MUST for anyone visiting the area.
July 5~ revisit~ We were impressed with Turkey Burger on May 30th, so when our nephew and his wife were visiting from Ontario we wanted to treat them. However, our second visit wasn’t quite as good. Portion sizes are huge…they were impressed! But the fish was a little overcooked and batter a bit greasy this time. I think I’ve tried enough fish & chips here and will try something different. BUT the milkshakes are THE BEST ( I had one again)
Our son and nephew enjoying the fish & chips 😀
June 7~ The Wharf Wrap Restaurant, Eastern Passage
The Wharf Wrap Restaurant in Eastern Passage is located by Fishermen’s Cove. The restaurant itself is nothing to look at but we’ve heard rave reviews how their Fish & Chips are “the best” so of course, I wanted to go. We ordered the one piece and added a piece of fish to share. Just like last week at the Turkey Burger, portions are HUGE!!! We couldn’t believe it. How can these restaurants afford to serve such large pieces of fish. The batter on this fish was a little different. Its a cracker crumb/batter with “secret special seasonings” that only the owners know. I guess it’s a family secret that even the chef’s don’t know entirely. Well, it was different BUT oh so delicious!!! It is served with fries and their special pineapple flavour coleslaw. Once again we were not disappointed. YUM!!!
July 2~ Pearles in Paradise …revisit
This is always a favourite when we go to the valley. No complaints, just ALWAYS the same VERY good fish!! That’s why we go back.
July 2~ The Dockside, Digby
Not a fan! Digby is known for it’s scallops and they were delicious but we have had much better fish and chips. The best thing was the view, right on the waterfront, overlooking the scallop trawler fleet.
July 5~ Lanes Privateer Inn, Liverpool
This was a pleasant surprise. A spontaneous lunch stop with some of our family on the way through to the beach. I took took the opportunity to see what the fish & chips were like. They were REALLY good! Home cut fries with lightly battered fish. A perfect lunch, especially when enjoyed on their garden terrace!
July 7~ Acadian Fish & Chips, Hammond’s Plains Road
We have seen this restaurant on our way through to the airport, city or to David’s brother’s place and always comment we should try it! Vacation time is great for eating out. I love their decor outside, lighthouse and little fisherman. It’s a family owned and run business. They serve home cut fries and nice servings with a lemon wedge, tartar sauce and coleslaw. The service is super fast and they are very friendly. A great spot!
July 9~ The Battered Fish- Halifax Waterfront
It was ok. I love the waterfront so eating takeout with a view is so much fun BUT we’ve had better fish & chips.
July 10~ The Blarney Stone, On the 103 in Hebb’s Cross
A small licensed family dining restaurant that has been serving customers since 1983. With a diverse menu offering east coast specialties such as fried clams, fish and chips and other great home style meals like hot sandwiches and burgers. This place is ALWAYS packed and it’s been years since we visited.
Like I said this spot is BUSY!!! The food is great. David & I shared the 4piece fish and chips which was enough for us. The fish was normal portions but lightly done, flaky and not greasy. The chips were just regular ( not hand cut, so nothing special) David did have a side of sweet potato fries which were delicious. A great little spot for good food!
July 18~ Tastee Freeze, Hebbville
This is not the place to get Fish & Chips, it’s a wonderful spot for soft serve ice cream. That being said we just wanted a quick take out of fish and chips to take to the waterfront in our town to enjoy and the Tastee Freeze is just 5 minutes away. We thought we’d give it a try. We’ll be back, we love this spot…but for ice cream!
August 2~ Food Truck Fish & Chips, Huey’s at Halifax Waterfront
Food Trucks set up at the Waterfront during the Busker’s Festival. We had to try Fish & Chips from one. Huey’s was the one that had fish & chips. The experience was cool. The chips were home cut fries which were excellent but the fish was way too much batter for the fish. Oh well…
August 15~ Food Truck Fish & Chips, Irene’s at Chester Yacht Club
Chester Race Week and Chester Village is a busy spot!! A few food trucks were there to help with the event and all the people. We finally got chance to go on Saturday the last day of the races, and had lunch at the yacht club overlooking the harbour so we could watch a bit of sailing. Our food truck choice…Irene’s. Again, not the best fish & chips around but we loved the atmosphere and relaxing lunch.
August 30~ AND for a third time this summer, revisit the Turkey burger in Cookville.
This time was much like the very first time we went. HUGE portions, cooked to perfections. Actually this time even though I didn’t take any pictures ( totally forgot) James, David and I shared the 3piece fish and chips and it was more than enough for lunch!! So I highly recommend this place. If for some reason it’s not quite what you expect the first time, give it a second chance. Now that this year’s Fish & Chips quest is finished, we need to try some of there other dishes! 🙂
So this year instead of going until middle of October with my search, we finished the end of August by returning to a favourite. I am just getting around to getting this blog post ready. There are still so many more places in our beautiful East Coast province that serve this delicious meal, and yes we will keep ordering “Fish & Chips” as we travel about. There are also some other tasty seafood dishes worth mentioning…chowders. lobster rolls, crab cakes, fish cakes, scallops, clams, mussels…hmm…next year I may be on a different quest.
We’re loving these gorgeous days in September and October before cold weather hits. Hope you get chance to go for a nice drive and have lunch or dinner at a local spot.
I love fresh fruit. I especially love being able to go out and pick it myself. It’s soon apple pickin’ time here and I am hoping to get to the valley to pick some this year.
Our son and his fiancée have a plum tree at their home and the plums are ripe for picking. This year the tree has lots of red juicy plums. The best it’s been for a few years.
Every year I like to do a family photo for Christmas. And every year we do it when it’s FREEZING COLD!!!! Usually in November or even December. So this year I wanted to help with the complaints of COLD and switch it up.
Today was a lovely Fall day and everyone was off this evening so off to the country we went back to a location from a few years ago. This was taken December 2012.
We just need to figure out what and how and what to do different this time.
We had fun. I love hanging with all my family. These are just some random, selfie, fun pics…
A couple of locations. Some different shots and a wardrobe change. Coming in December ( I always wait til then)…the good pictures ( that James took) and our annual family photo!Gotta love a September sunset…
And voila…7 little jars of chokecherry jelly!
And quite tasty on toast.
Great job honey!
Just An East Coast Girl 