PEI!
Henry Homestead Family Cottages and Traditional Farm, 10024 Rte.#6,
Stanley Bridge, PEI CANADA C0A 1E0
Call us anytime at 902 886 3077 or Email Us at rhenry@pei.sympatico.ca
Prince Edward Island
CANADA
Geography: Canada’s smallest province in both size ( 5,660 km˛ ) and population ( 138,000 ~ July 01, 2003 ), Prince Edward Island lies in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, separated from the closest mainland by the Northumberland Strait. It is 224 km. long and from 6 – 24 km. wide sporting 100 km of white sand beaches with the warmest saltwater North of Florida.
Cape Tormentine, New Brunswick and Borden, Prince Edward Island were linked officially on May 31, 1997 by the Confederation Bridge, a multi-span concrete boxgirder system, 12.9 km. long and with an average height of 40 m.
The entire structure is curved to ensure drivers remain attentive during the 15 minute crossing.
History: Jacques Cartier first explored the island in 1534 and discovered Mi’kmaq natives living there who referred to their home as “Abegweit”. Over the next 200 years, the French and English colonials struggled for dominion until 1763, when England was awarded the island at the Treaty of Paris. The first Canadian Confederation was held in Charlottetown in 1864, resulting in the creation of Canada in 1867, PEI joining in 1873. The island is named for Edward Augustus (1767 – 1820), the son of George III of England. Other names for PEI include Million Acre Farm, and Cradle in the Waves.
(the small under the protection of the great)
Economy:
Primary Industry: Historically, agriculture has been the leading industry, at one time with 80% of the population involved in food production. The farms on the island were mixed farms with livestock of all types and crops such as potatoes, vegetables, cereal and forage. Since 1970, the industry has specialized, but the landscape is still drawn by the hedgerows of the small 100 acre farms of our grandfathers.
Notably, the potato industry dominates agriculture, generating CDN $198 M (2002-2003) annually, compared with CDN $100M for lobsters and CDN $30M for mussels and oysters in fisheries. The waters of PEI provide 30 species of fish and seafood, notably cultivated mussels, herring, bluefin tuna and the world renowned Malpeque oysters.
Tourism: Despite the steady rise in tourism growth, PEI still offers the slower pace of an earlier era, and a simply stunning landscape with red tinged clay roads, beaches and cliffs crowned with lush farm fields. Bicycling is a delightful way to tour the island and much information can be gleaned from www.atlanticcanadacycling.com/pei/
HenryHomestead.com 2010