our story
Spurr Brothers Farms was established in 1875 by Shippy Spurr when he began growing apples, hay and grains on 62 acres of land. He quickly became one of the leading Apple exporters in our province and an advocate for improving agriculture and farmers' interests.
1921 - Shippy's son William would join him, adding another 20 acres of land and adding potatoes to their crop. William is remembered as one of the original growers of MacIntosh Reds in the Annapolis Valley.
1946 - William's sons Lawrence and Cameron would take over the farm as the 3rd generation. They grew to 500 acres focusing primarily on apples, pears, potatoes, strawberries and a large poultry division. Both Lawrence and Cameron were honoured with the Golden Apple Award for their outstanding achievement in the fruit-growing industry.
1982 - The farm was split into two divisions, with Cameron retaining control over some orchards and strawberries. Lawrence's two sons Bill and Gordon, would take over potatoes and some orchards marking the 4th generation of the family farm. They would aggressively expand the farm into more acreage, adding more apples, potatoes, onions, carrots, and cover crops to diversify the farm.
2001 - Bill's daughter Lisa would join the farm marking the beginning of the 5th generation of the family farm. Lisa would bring many innovations to the farm with new ideas around planting, varieties, and adding more fruit. Lisa is now the President and has been a significant influence on the growth and success of modernizing the farm.
2006 - Gordon's daughter Katie joined the farm, following in her fathers' footsteps. Katie would manage the packing house, food safety, the market, and much of the farm's business side.
2012 - Bill's son William would take over growing strawberries and small vegetables. After Gordon's passing in 2016, William would accept many of his growing responsibilities, including potatoes, onions, carrots and cover crops. Most recently, launching a new division of the farm, brewing hard cider made from ingredients grown right on the farm.
2022 - The grand opening of our newly built market and taproom, bringing fresh cider, local goods, and a true farm experience to our guests. This is just the beginning of our retail and agri-tourism journey.
There is no question the 5th generation of the Spurr Farm is passionate about continuing the farm's legacy into the future, holding close to the values of producing the highest quality products in the Annapolis Valley.
