Government Funding Supports Local Food Production

Dec 16, 2022

The government is investing an additional $7.9 million to help local farmers grow more food and get it into more of the province’s largest kitchens.

“Buying local starts with growing local. That’s the foundation – and we need it to be strong,” said Agriculture Minister Greg Morrow. “This new investment will help farmers grow more and agri-businesses make more, and it paves the way for local products in our schools, hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities.”

The new $5-million Season Extension Enhancement Program will help support fruit and vegetable growers who invest in innovative and labour-saving technologies to extend their growing season, adapt to a changing climate and open new market opportunities. The program will build on the success of recent pilot programs like the Long Cane Raspberry Pilot, conducted in co-operation with commercial growers, Perennia Food and Agriculture and Horticulture Nova Scotia.

A new $2-million Local Food Advancement Program will help local producers and agri-businesses invest in equipment and technology to increase production either by expanding their current operations or by creating new value-add products.

The government is also dedicating $900,000 to help get more locally grown and produced food into large-scale kitchens through new pilots, like the one announced last week with continuing care provider Northwood.

Details on program opportunities will be available online in January. The initiatives support the government’s goal to have 20 per cent of all food purchased in Nova Scotia be locally grown or produced by 2030.

Source : Novascotia .ca

Video: A chain harrow is a game changer

Utilizing a rotational grazing method on our farmstead with our sheep helps to let the pasture/paddocks rest. We also just invested in a chain harrow to allow us to drag the paddocks our sheep just left to break up and spread their manure around, dethatch thicker grass areas, and to rough up bare dirt areas to all for a better seed to soil contact if we overseed that paddock. This was our first time really using the chain harrow besides initially testing it out. We are very impressed with the work it did and how and area that was majority dirt, could be roughed up before reseeding.

Did you know we also operate a small business on the homestead. We make homemade, handcrafted soaps, shampoo bars, hair and beard products in addition to offering our pasture raised pork, lamb, and 100% raw honey. You can find out more about our products and ingredients by visiting our website at www.mimiandpoppysplace.com. There you can shop our products and sign up for our monthly newsletter that highlights a soap or ingredient, gives monthly updates about the homestead, and also lists the markets, festivals, and events we’ll be attending that month.