Story of the week

Story of the week

The VanDines come from generations of family farmers, but they are the last of the line. Still, their children are never far from the farm in spirit

Carolyn VanDine has lived all her 67 years in Carleton County, NB. She’s a lifelong farmer who has seen the way of life she loves become a way of the past—even as more people become interested in food security and local agriculture.

Carolyn and her husband, Allan, have become known in the region for growing and selling dry beans, including the heritage variety Soldier. After Allan lost nearly a third of his lung capacity to illness in 1973, he found work off the farm, but tended the crops on evenings and weekends while Carolyn took care of the house and the business. Now nearing retirement, they are still in the bean business—grading, packaging, and selling—but no longer grow their own. Instead, they are supplied by a third-generation family farm in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley.

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