Spurr Brothers Farm in Wilmot: History, What It Grows, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Spurr Brothers Farm in Wilmot, in the Annapolis Valley, has been farmed since 1875 and is now run by its fifth generation. It grew from 62 acres of hay, grain and apples to a business of roughly 650 to 800 acres in apples, onions, potatoes, grains, soybeans and berries, won the Nova Scotia Institute of Agrologists Distinguished Farm Award in 2015, and its leaders were named Atlantic Outstanding Young Farmers for 2025.
| Location | Wilmot (Melvern Square), Annapolis County, Nova Scotia |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1875, by Shippy Spurr |
| Sectors | apples; onions and potatoes; grains and soybeans; strawberries; hard cider |
| Scale | About 650 acres per Fruit & Vegetable magazine; about 800 acres per Farms.com; 85 acres of apples in the magazine's breakdown |
| Why it is elite | Distinguished Farm Award 2015; Atlantic Outstanding Young Farmers 2025; five generations of growth |
| Ownership | Fifth-generation family farm; Lisa Jenereaux is president and CEO |
| Official website | Fruit and Vegetable magazine cover story on Spurr Brothers Farms |
History of Spurr Brothers Farm
Shippy Spurr started the farm in 1875 with 62 acres of hay, grain and apples. In 1921 William joined and added potatoes and 20 acres, and in 1946 Lawrence and Cameron expanded the farm to 500 acres. The fourth generation split the farm into two divisions in 1982.
The fifth generation arrived in 2001 with Lisa Jenereaux, now president and CEO, followed by Katie Campbell in 2006, and William Spurr took over strawberries and small vegetables in 2012. The farm opened a farm market and taproom in 2022. Campbell and Spurr were named Atlantic's Outstanding Young Farmers for 2025 and represented the region in the national competition in Toronto.
What Spurr Brothers Farm Grows and Raises
Fruit and Vegetable magazine reports about 650 acres in total, including roughly 45 acres of onions, 10 of potatoes, 85 of apples, 5 of pears, 2 of peaches, 150 of grains, 80 of soybeans and 100 of cover crops. About 150 acres are rented to other growers. Farms.com puts the farm at about 800 acres and notes more than 20 apple varieties, with strawberries, onions, potatoes and forage crops. The difference reflects the acreage each source counted.
The farm sells wholesale to distributors and direct to consumers through its market and taproom. It makes 12 flavours of hard cider from its own produce, and strawberries and peaches that are not suitable for retail go into specialty ciders.
How Spurr Brothers Farm Makes Money
Wholesale fruit and vegetables
Apples, onions, potatoes and other crops go to distributors, the volume engine of the business. Mixed crops spread weather and price risk.
Farm market and taproom
The market and taproom opened in 2022 and sell fresh produce, local goods and cider directly to visitors at retail prices.
Hard cider and value-added products
Cider made from the farm's own fruit turns seconds into a premium product. Land rental income from the 150 rented acres is a further described stream.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Spurr Brothers Farm
Add value to your culls. Routing strawberries and peaches that miss retail grade into specialty ciders converts waste into a branded product.
Divide roles by generation. The fifth generation split responsibilities, with one leader running strawberries and small vegetables and another running the company, which lets a 150-year-old farm change without losing its base.
A farm that began with 62 acres in 1875 and now pours a dozen cider flavours has clearly learned that everything on a farm eventually becomes a beverage. For farm satire with similar range, stop by farm.FM, where the farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes come in more than one flavour and none of them need ice. Cheers to the Valley, and to any onion that has ever been asked to hold the apples.
farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, also runs Tractor Tunes, a country music lineup for farmers. For a sample of the writing, try the archive of one of its staff humorists.
How to Contact Spurr Brothers Farm
Website: https://cdn.annexbusinessmedia.com/FV/etrending/2026/01/23/ANXCD260120047-mail.html
No official farm website was found, so the link points to a published trade magazine profile. No phone, address or email was verified from an official source, so none is listed. Confirm hours at the farm market and taproom before traveling.
Spurr Brothers Farm Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Fruit and Vegetable magazine cover story - A 150-year farm legacy of five generations
- Atlantic Outstanding Young Farmers 2025 - Farms.com report on the Spurr Brothers Farm leaders
- NSIA Distinguished Farm Award - Recipient list including Spurr Brothers Farm Ltd. in 2015
- Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture: Kings County profile - 2021 Census of Agriculture county data
- Nova Scotia 2021 Census of Agriculture summary - Provincial statistics on farms and farm area
Spurr Brothers Farm FAQ
How old is Spurr Brothers Farm?
It was founded in 1875 by Shippy Spurr and is now in its fifth generation.
What does it grow?
Apples, onions, potatoes, grains, soybeans, strawberries and carrots, plus pears and peaches, per Fruit and Vegetable magazine.
What awards has it won?
The Nova Scotia Institute of Agrologists Distinguished Farm Award in 2015, and Atlantic Outstanding Young Farmers for 2025.
Does it sell directly?
Yes. A farm market and taproom opened in 2022; confirm hours before visiting.
Spurr Brothers Farm shows how a five-generation Valley family keeps growing by adding crops, value-added cider and direct sales. Read the Nova Scotia farms guide for provincial context, programs and the other profiled operations.