2024 Western Nova Scotia, Canada Corn U-Pick Farms and Orchards - PickYourOwn.org

Corn U-Pick Orchards in Western Nova Scotia, Canada in 2024, by county

Below are the U-Pick orchards and farms for corn that we know of in this area.

Not all areas of a province or region have corn farms that are open to the public. If you know of any others, please tell us using the add a farm form!

Remember to always check with the farm's own website or Facebook page before you go - or call or email them if they don't have a website or Facebook page. Conditions at the farms and crops can change literally overnight, so if you want to avoid a wasted trip out there - check with the farm directly before you go! If I cannot reach them, I DON'T GO!

PLEASE report closed farms, broken links and incorrect info using the "Report Corrections" form below.

New! As inflation remains high, see this page for reliable (tested) brands of generic canning lids at lower costs, and cost-saving measures for getting fruit and vegetables and home canning.
 If you are having a hard time finding canning lids, I've used these, and they're a great price & ship in 2 days.

New! Road tripping and camping is a great way to have a fun, safe and inexpensive family trip. The national and state parks and monuments are open, and campgrounds usually cost between $10 and $40 per night. September to November is the best camping weather.  See our new website Road Tripping and Camping.com for tips, tricks, guides, checklists and info about parks, monuments and other places to visit.

New! We just went live with our latest website, FunFactoryTours.com - As they name implies, you can find a fun factory tour, including chocolate, automobiles, historical forts and sites, famous buildings, Active Federal facilities even fun geology: like fossils and volcanic areas

Annapolis

• Dempsey Corner Orchards - apples, beans, beets, blueberries, carrots, cherries, corn (sweet), onions, pears, peaches, plums, pumpkins, raspberries (red), strawberries, gift shop, snacks and refreshment stand, restrooms, petting zoo, farm animals, school tours, events at your location (call for info)
  2717 Route 221, Aylesford, NS B0P 1C0. Phone: 902-847-1855. Email: dempseycornerorchards@ns.aliantzinc.ca. Open: 7 days a week from 10 until 5 yes, that includes Sunday. Directions: Just North of Exit 16 in the Annapolis Valley and follow the signs. . Click here for a map and directions. Payment: Cash, Cheque, Debit cards, Visa, MasterCard. Pick Fruits and VegetablesWe have 12 different varieties and flavours of cherries.Come pick a peach off the tree. There are 57 varieties of apples to try. Plums come in different colours and sizes, but they all grow on trees and we will let you pick them all.Dig your own potatoes, carrots, onions, and beets. Table grapes and Wine grapes. Pumpkins from the field are way more fun than pumpkins from a shelf at the grocery store. (UPDATED: March 1, 2021 JBS)

Kings

• Noggins Corner Farm Ltd - Corn Maze, Barnyard Adventure, U-Pick pumpkins, apples and flowers.
  10009 Hwy #1, Greenwich, NS . Phone: 902-542-5515. Open: 10 am to 8 pm. Directions: Exit 11 off Hwy 101, proceed to bottom of the hill, look for large Farm Market sign on the roof, turn left on Hwy # 1. Noggins Corner Farm is about 500 yd down the road on your right. . Click here for a map and directions. Historic walking trails. Admission; adults $5.00, children (5 - 15) $4.00, under 5 free. Come visit our farm market featuring Valley grown farm, fresh produce including, peaches, pears, over 30 varieties of apples, sweet corn, squash and all sizes of pumpkins. (UPDATED: March 1, 2021 JBS)
• Stirling Fruit Farms - strawberries, apples, corn maze, pumpkins
  10317 Highway 1, Greenwich, NS B4P 2R2. Phone: 902-542-3763. Email: greatapples@stirlingfruitfarms.ca. Open: daily, but Always check ahead for hours of operation. Click here for a map and directions.
  Stirling Fruit Farms Facebook page. . We have seasonal U-Picks at our Wolfville location in the Annapolis Valley. Join us in the summer for our Strawberry U-Pick and from early September to the end of October for our Apple U-Pick and Pumpkin U-Pick. Enjoy fall fun on our hayrides and get lost in our popular corn maze! Our Stirling Farm Markets are open year round! For directions, and a link to a google map for each location, click on an image below.We have seasonal U-Picks at our Greenwich location in the Annapolis Valley. Join us in the summer for our Strawberry U-Pick and from early September to the end of October for our Apple U-Pick and Pumpkin U-Pick. Always check ahead for hours of operation.(ADDED: July 20, 2018, JBS)

 

Corn

Corn Picking Tips, Recipes and Information

Corn reaches it's peak sweetness and flavor when the kernels are full, and just touching each other, like a good set of teeth!  They should not be bloated and smushed so tightly that there is no space left at all. The bloated overripe ears will have a bland, starchy taste.

Here's what to look for:

• The tips of the silks coming out of the ear should be a light brown.
•  If you break a kernel with your fingernail, the liquid should be slightly milky in color.
•  The ears should be filled out and have developed good girth but not bloated.

Harvesting

 To harvest, snap off the ears by hand with a quick, firm, downward push; then twist and pull.
 Avoid twisting or yanking the ears, as this can damage the stalk or the ear itself.

Storing the corn

Corn is at its prime eating quality on the stalk for only 72 hours before becoming over mature. The most important factor is cooling it as soon as possible after harvesting it.  Get it into the fridge or cover it with ice! Many farmers say you should remove the shucks right away, too.  I've found that removing most of the shuck, but leaving a few leaves to cover each ear is best to prevent the kernels from drying out.  See this page for more about storing corn before using it.

Cooking:

The worst mistake people make is overcooking corn.  In fact, corn isn't really cooked; it's just heated up. If you cook it form more than a few minutes (3 minutes), then you are simply breaking down the sugars and turning a nice, crisp sweet ear into bland mush. It's not a pot roast; the purpose of heating it is NOT to break down the cells, just to heat them to bring out the flavor and melt the butter!

Here's how to cook the corn:

1. Fill a large pot (large enough so the shucked ears can fit inside, laying down) about 2/3 full of water and start bring it to a boil
2. Shuck the ears, and snap off the stalk end and the very tip of ear (especially if you will use "corn stickers" , (handles) to hold the ears.
3. When everyone is sitting down at the table and you are serving the rest of the meal, put the corn in the boiling water and set the time for 3 minutes.
4. After 3 minutes, using tongs, retrieve the ears and serve them with butter (Corn boats are wonderful for corn!

 

Freezing Corn

You can easily freeze the sweet corn and have that great taste in the dead of winter! 

• Freezing whole ears of corn on the cob
• Freezing corn, cut off the cob

Canning Corn

This too, is easy... but it DOES require a Pressure Canner.  You cannot safely do this with a water bath canner.  Food poisoning is no joke!

• Here is how to can corn!
•  how to make canned creamed corn.
• Southern Chow-Chow (also called Piccalilli)
• Pickled corn relish

Other corn recipes

• How to make sweet corn ice cream
• Corn bread, or sweet corn muffins (like Chi Chi's)

• Corn fritters (a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch breakfast

Other Local Farm Products (Honey, Horses, Milk, Meat, Eggs, Etc.)
(NOT pick-your-own, unless they are also listed above)

• Farm markets and roadside stands
• Local Honey Finder
• Local Meat, Milk and Eggs
• Venues: Farms, Wineries, Orchards for your event, wedding or party
• Easter egg hunts
• Children"s consignment sales
• Fruit and vegetable festivals
• Winery tours and wine tastings
• Horse rides, stables, lessons, trails
• Maple Syrup farms and sugarworks
• Bed & Breakfasts on Farms, Wineries, Ranches and Orchards
• Pumpkin patches
• Corn mazes
• Zombie Paintball venues
• Christmas Tree Farms & lots
• Environmental resources
• Consumer fraud information
• Wholesale food sources
• Resources for Farmers