Health Through Wealthy Soil

Lahave was founded by a group of like minded successful investors, business partners and visionaries. These pioneers came together through a shared vision of "Natural Growth", by putting Nature, the Forest and the Farm back into balance.

This "Natural Growth" opportunity exists as the current farming model is "Broken" in terms of soil health and food quality. Our simple aim is to sustainably restore soil back to health and then put it back to work, as we believe that the way we manage our soils has a direct impact on the plants we grow.

We believe this innovative natural approach will create a real growth business model for the benefit of current and future generations in Nova Scotia and beyond.

Our Berry Unique Haskap Orchards

Haskap Berry: An 80 acre biodynamic orchard to be completed by 2014. The haskap berry is an insanely different tasting, healthy and nutritious berry. They are the earliest berry to fruit in the season, usually in mid to late June – a week or so  earlier than strawberries.

This natural fruit, a member of the honeysuckle family, was first introduced in Canada around 1967, and is sometimes known as 'edible blue honeysuckle', 'honeyberry' and 'haskap'.  The 'Haskap' varieties are originally from the island of Hokkaido, Japan. It was named by the indigenous Ainu people and means "Little present at the end of the branch'.

Reasearch carried out by Kirsten Larson in 2009 (Sunofi-Adventis Biotalent Challenege) Haskap: An Introduction to the Fruit, Its Health Benefits, and Marketing Possibilities. States haskap berries are high in anthocyanins, vitamin C, phenolic compounds and other antioxidants (three times the antioxidant levels of wild blueberries). They have been used to reduce blood pressure and relieve gastrointestinal disorders, and there are reports of curative effects when used on malaria.  The berries also contain traces of selenium, the element said to restore youth.

Further information on growing Haskap and the different varieties can be found here.

Future high value crops will include Hops, Goji berries, Grape Vines, Biomass timber (Willow and Hybrid Poplar) and high value veneer timber (Black Walnut and Black Cherry trees).

Today's Local and Global Problem

The ‘Green Revolution’ of the last century and its promise of cheap oil based fertilizers and higher yields is broken. Modern farming practices and the consistent over application of synthetic fertilizers have resulted in extensive soil erosion and fields of  ‘Dead Soil’.

The Western food model focuses predominantly on quantity - and not quality. Food produced from depleted soils does not contain essential trace minerals required for the effective functioning of our immune system. A recent study showed that over the last 60 years the average level of minerals in vegetables has fallen by over 50 percent. 

A Natural Solution is Needed

We strongly believe, solutions to today’s problems must start with a return to Healthy Soil - our most under appreciated, yet essential natural resource.

Summary

By adopting and building upon a sustainable strategy of ‘Health Through Wealthy Soil”, we are correctly positioned to benefit from Jim Rodgers’, Co-founder of the Quantum Fund, long term belief that:

“Agriculture is set to become one of the top growth industries over the next 20 to 30 years.”