Visitors and new residents are often surprised and delighted to discover the proliferation of “honour system” Nova Scotia roadside stands or stalls that dot the rural roads of our province. From fruits and vegetables to jellies, salsas to honey or eggs (gotta love those backyard chickens), from seedlings or cut flowers to perennial bulbs, and from baked sweet treats to craggy loaves of sourdough bread, you’ll find it all roadside.
Now that spring is here, tables and coolers are being dragged to the side of the road, and stall doors flung wide to let in the sunshine. Some Nova Scotia roadside stands are elaborate and have active Facebook pages devoted to highlighting what’s in the stand that week, such as the Cake by the Maples in New Germany.
Others are tiny, simple folding tables with a smattering of excess tomato seedlings, surplus vegetables the gardener has grown, or the fruits of their canning efforts.
I’ve seen bushels of tomatoes or apples for sale in utility trailers still attached to tractors, and beat-up coolers or mini fridges full of fresh eggs are common.
Before I moved to Nova Scotia I rarely carried cash, but now there are always small bills in my wallet to ensure I can pick up a gorgeous zucchini or a few gladiolus stems (the glad field I stop at has a roadside stall and an honour system U-Pick field and loaner scissors if you prefer to select your own stems.)
Cash is king – most Nova Scotia roadside stands have a cash box or jar and rely on the goodness of passerbys to leave the cash be, (and for buyers to pay the stated amount). But a few have joined the digital revolution, and accept e-transfers!
What’s the oddest thing you’ve ever seen sold at a Nova Scotia roadside stand? Do you sell anything at the end of your driveway? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
