Select Nova Scotia

Spirit NS is a non-profit citizen organization that started in 2006. Their Local Food Team envisions a Nova Scotia with rich top soil, clean air and water, resilient farm and fishing communities, and healthy, local food for all citizens.

The 3rd Annual Spirit Nova Scotia Local Food Award celebrates those who have made a significant contribution to the local food movement in Nova Scotia.

Prizes were awarded in three categories: Producer, Business, and Non-profit at the Incredible Picnic at Alderney Landing, August 22, 2010. Voting took place online throughout the month of August from the Select Nova Scotia website, and the winners were:

Producer category: Taproot Farm - Patricia Bishop and Josh Oulton, Port Williams

Business category: Ellora natural & organic foods - Susan Bone, LaHave, NS

Non-profit Category: Lunenburg Farmers Market

Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations and votes for this award. 

Additional information about the winners:

Taproot Farm - Patricia Bishop and Josh Oulton, Port Williams

 Taproot Farms is a certified organic family farm located in Kings County.  The farm markets using Community Shared Agriculture. “When Taproot created the CSA, my family gained access to year round local food, delivered to a location only 5 minutes from our home. The farm provided food from a place that I can visit, on a consistent and reliable basis. With over 200 members, the Taproot CSA has changed the purchasing habits of a large group of people. They are a customer of Bull Frog Power and distributed the “Who’s your Farmer” flyers to educate and engage city folk and rural dwellers alike. They participate in the NS Young Farmers Forum and the NS Agricultural Land review.

Ellora natural & organic foods - Susan Bone, LaHave, NS

Ellora is a web-based membership buying service for natural and organic foods and related products. They offer member customers a huge selection of items at reasonable prices on a monthly pre-order basis—flours, beans, grains, dried and packaged goods, coffees, teas, chocolate, cheese, cider, maple products, apples, beef, poultry, sustainably-harvested fish, and personal care and household products.

Ellora is an environmentally-responsible business that generates no waste—no paper catalogues, no plastic carry-out bags, no extra packaging. They don’t waste power or pollute the air by operating a retail store that uses electricity for lights, burns oil for heat and runs coolers and freezers 24/7. They provide groceries in recyclable cardboard boxes and encourage use of re-usable shopping bags. Frequent grazing-shopping comes with many time, energy, financial and environmental costs. Ellora encourages “bring convenience home” by choosing to plan ahead and stock customers pantries with clean, healthy food. The once-a-month order setup allows customers to make selections online, and then make a single trip to get groceries. (They also ship or deliver) This saves precious time and money, and also helps decreases the carbon footprint.

Lunenburg Farmers Market

“The Lunenburg Farmers market under the manager Valerie Tanner’s leadership has become one of the busiest and best loved around. It has built new partnerships in the community and with Lunenburg Town Council. This year the Lunenburg Farmers' Market is marking its 25th year of operation in a new location at the Lunenburg Community Centre at Victoria Road and Green Street. Every market is unique; the vendors come from separate worlds, detached lives. But once a week they combine as characters in an ever-changing "improv" show - a living theatre that plays variations on the same theme each time. Our Farmers' Market is a gathering place. It is common to see people lingering to chat with vendors and friends, and spirits are high. We have a wide range of vendors, and products. All local, all fabulous: plants, vegetables, fruits, baked goods, floral arrangements, smoked and fresh meats, organic produce, hemp oil products, hand sewn and knitted items, honey, preserves and more!