We all need a Savior
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:23
None of us can earn our way to God by being good enough. We all need mercy.
🗺️ Farm Day Trips guide
Things to Do Near the Lavender Farm of Tatamagouche & River John, Nova Scotia
Seafoam Lavender's farm store opens daily noon to 5, May to October, with u-pick in mid-July; warm-water beaches and an 1874 grist mill are nearby.
6 places · updated October 17, 2026
🌱 What’s happening now
Updated October 17
🪻 In season now
Seafoam Lavender Company & Gardens · Lismore Sheep Farm · Train Station Inn · Sugar Moon Farm
✏️ Report outdated info
The stretch of Nova Scotia's Northumberland Shore between Tatamagouche and River John is farm and fishing country facing the Northumberland Strait, where the water runs warm enough for summer swimming. Tatamagouche is the village hub, with Creamery Square on the Waugh's River, while a sheep farm, a maple woods, a winery at Malagash and a string of provincial beaches sit within half an hour.
Seafoam Lavender Company & Gardens grows its lavender in rows along Highway 6 near the shore, and its farm store is open every day from noon to 5 p.m. from Mother's Day weekend through the second weekend of October. The u-pick harvest lasts only about ten days, usually in mid-July, so a July trip lets you combine it with beach afternoons, the inn's railway dining car and the farmers' market at Creamery Square.
The lavender farms
- Seafoam Lavender Company & GardensLavender farm · Seafoam
about ten days around mid-July (u-pick window)
Farm store open daily noon to 5 p.m., Mother's Day weekend to mid-October; u-pick for about ten days around mid-July; off-season by appointment.
Best time to visit
Seafoam Lavender's farm store opens Mother's Day weekend in May and stays open daily, noon to 5 p.m., through the second weekend of October; u-pick lasts about ten days, usually in mid-July. Lismore Sheep Farm's shop opens May 1 and its visitor barn runs from mid-May to Thanksgiving weekend in October. The Train Station Inn takes guests May 1 to Oct. 11, 2026, and Jost Vineyards' patio café runs about May to September. July and August are the warm-water beach months at Waterside, Rushton's and Blue Sea; Caribou-Munroes Island Provincial Park is open June 5 to Oct. 12, 2026. Sugar Moon Farm closes for the winter at the end of October.
Places to see nearby parks, trails, beaches and landmarks
- Waterside Beach Provincial Park🏖️ Beach · Waterside · about 10 mi, 15 min drive
A long sandy beach with warm water and a salt marsh, reached by boardwalk about 3 km north of Highway 6, east of the Caribou River; it is seldom crowded.
- Creamery Square🏛️ Museum · Tatamagouche · about 9 mi, 12 min drive
A riverside complex on the Waugh's River with the Margaret Fawcett Norrie Heritage Centre, the Tatamagouche Farmers' Market, a 160-seat arts center and a boat shop building a replica 18th-century chaloupe.
- Tatamagouche🏘️ Town · Tatamagouche · about 9 mi, 12 min drive
The shore's village hub on the Sunrise Trail, with the brewery on Main Street, the Train Station Inn on Station Road and Creamery Square on the river.
- Balmoral Grist Mill🏛️ Museum · Tatamagouche · about 12 mi, 20 min drive
A Nova Scotia Museum site where Alexander McKay opened the mill in 1874; you can watch grain ground, sifted and turned into flour, then walk the Christine MacDonald trail along Matheson's Brook in the wooded gorge.
- Rushton's Beach Provincial Park🏖️ Beach · Marshville · about 13 mi, 18 min drive
A popular warm-water beach about 4 km east of Brule, where broad sandbars appear at low tide and the salt marsh draws many bird species.
- Blue Sea Beach Provincial Park🏖️ Beach · Malagash · about 22 mi, 30 min drive
A low dune system with a wide sandy beach and long sand flats at low tide, good for families; it pairs well with a stop at Jost Vineyards in Malagash.
- Caribou-Munroes Island Provincial Park🏞️ Park · Caribou · about 22 mi, 25 min drive
A campground park with a sandy day-use beach on the Northumberland Strait, unsupervised swimming, change rooms and a 3 km coastal hiking trail.
June 5–Oct. 12, 2026
Where to stop: farms, food and stays
- Lismore Sheep FarmFamily fun farm · River John
A working farm of about 200 sheep where you can visit the barn and shop for wool blankets, yarn and local foods, daily 10 to 4 in season.
- Train Station InnInn or B&B · Tatamagouche
Rooms in restored cabooses and boxcars, a café in the circa-1887 station and a railway dining car for a lunch stop.
- Jost VineyardsWinery or vineyard (21+) · Malagash Centre
Free daily tastings of Tidal Bay and other wines, vineyard trails and a seasonal patio café, open 10 to 5.
- Sugar Moon FarmMaple sugarhouse · Earltown
A maple farm in the Earltown hills with the volunteer-built Rogart Mountain trail; the farm and restaurant close for winter at the end of October.
- Tatamagouche Brewing Co.Brewery or taproom (21+) · Tatamagouche
Main Street brewery with lagers, farmhouse ales and barrel-aged beers, open daily with later hours Friday and Saturday.
A one-day plan
- 10:00 AMLismore Sheep Farm
Meet the flock in the visitor barn and browse the wool shop; about 1 hour.
- 11:15 AMWaterside Beach Provincial Park · about 12 min drive
Walk the boardwalk to the beach and salt marsh; about 45 minutes.
- 12:15 PMSeafoam Lavender Company & Gardens · about 15 min drive
The store opens at noon; see the lavender rows (u-pick in mid-July) and shop the farm store; about 1 hour.
- 1:30 PMTrain Station Inn · about 12 min drive
Lunch in the railway dining car or the station café; about 1 hour.
- 2:45 PMCreamery Square · about 3 min drive
Heritage center exhibits and the boat shop on the river; about 45 minutes.
- 3:45 PMBalmoral Grist Mill · about 15 min drive
See the 1874 mill and walk the brook-side trail; about 45 minutes.
- 5:00 PMTatamagouche Brewing Co. · about 15 min drive
End the day on Main Street; the shop is open until 6 p.m. most days and 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Tips
- Seafoam's u-pick lasts only about ten days, usually mid-July, and timing shifts with spring weather; check their social pages for the current harvest.
- Seafoam's farm store opens at noon, so plan morning stops elsewhere and arrive after 12.
- Pets are not allowed in the Train Station Inn's rooms.
- Dogs must stay leashed on the Rogart Mountain trail at Sugar Moon Farm, and hikers pack out all waste.
- Jost's Seagrape Café is closed outside roughly May to September, but tastings continue daily 10 to 5.
- If your day includes the winery or brewery, plan a designated driver.
Checked in October 2026 against official park, tourism and business websites. How we check listings
Questions
When can you pick lavender at Seafoam Lavender?
U-pick lasts about ten days, usually in mid-July; the exact dates depend on spring weather.
What are Seafoam Lavender's farm store hours?
Daily, noon to 5 p.m., from Mother's Day weekend through the second weekend of October; off-season visits are by appointment.
Are the beaches near Tatamagouche good for swimming?
Yes. Waterside and Rushton's Beach provincial parks are known for warm salt water, and Caribou-Munroes Island has unsupervised swimming.
Is Lismore Sheep Farm open in the fall?
The visitor barn runs from mid-May through Thanksgiving weekend in October; the shop opens daily 10 to 4 from May 1.
🪪 Collect a stamp at every stop
The free Lavender Passport keeps a stamp for each farm and stop you visit, in real life and in the Lavender Farm Simulator. At the farm, play Field Quest to collect plant varieties as you walk, climb the leaderboards and unlock sponsor rewards.
Open the Passport🏡 Own a farm, café or inn here?
Add your listing for free so travelers find you, or become a Featured sponsor to sit at the top of this guide, on the Passport map and in the event calendars.
Add your listing Get featured
