A Serendipitous Sanctuary: How Edelweiss Inn Blossomed in Nova Scotia’s Heartland
Tucked into the tranquil landscape of Mount Hanley, just outside Middleton, Nova Scotia, Edelweiss Inn is more than just a countryside retreat — it's the embodiment of second chances and unexpected journeys. Founded by Barbara Grumme, a former real estate agent from Niagara Falls, Edelweiss Inn is a testament to risk-taking, creativity, and the power of saying “yes” when life offers a twist.
“I’ve been a real estate agent for about 30 years,” Barbara begins. “I enjoy entertaining, enjoy hospitality... but during what I call a ‘midway crisis,’ I went to a workshop called The Passion Test — and somehow that pointed me toward becoming a bed-and-breakfast owner.”
At the time, it sounded like a stretch. “I said, ‘Bed-and-breakfast owner? I can’t cook, and cleaning rooms is definitely not in my top five favourite things to do,’” she laughs. Nevertheless, the seed was planted.
Then, in 2020, the pandemic turned Barbara’s world upside down. COVID devastated her business ventures in Niagara Falls. Her business partner moved to Italy. Her father passed away. “Everything kind of fell apart within a few months,” she recalls.
In the midst of the chaos, a friend invited her on a long drive to Nova Scotia. “I didn’t even realize she’d moved there,” Barbara says. That chance visit sparked something. Through a quirky series of events — including a local recommending an abandoned inn that “matched her companion’s accent” — Barbara stumbled upon a long-closed property in Mount Hanley. “First I said, ‘No way,’ but I kind of fell in love with the Annapolis Valley. One thing led to another.”
By February 2021, Barbara and a small crew — including her mother, her former housekeeper, and a German companion with culinary skills — moved east. They launched Edelweiss Inn in earnest in 2023, their first full year of business.
A Home Away from Home
Today, Edelweiss Inn offers 12 cozy rooms in a serene European country inn setting, with a restaurant on-site serving German-Canadian fare. Guests include tourists, military families (visiting nearby CFB Greenwood), international travellers, and locals seeking a peaceful getaway.
“About half our guests are from Nova Scotia, but we’ve also had people from Quebec, Ontario, the US and even Europe. says Barbara. “Many are military — engineers and personnel from the base in Greenwood — and they stay here in the off-season. We’ve become their home away from home.”
Barbara is no absentee owner. “I do the breakfast, greet the guests, hand out tissues if they’re here for a funeral,” she says. “It’s the personal touch — we’re not just a number, and neither are our guests.”
With nearly 2,000 breakfasts served last year alone and glowing reviews online, the charm of Edelweiss Inn is clearly resonating.
From Plywood Panic to Practical Partnerships
Despite the warm stories and blossoming community, Barbara’s journey has been far from easy. “I was haemorrhaging money for repairs and maintenance,” she recalls. “I couldn’t find staff, I had construction debt, and I didn’t know what to do.”
That’s when she reached out to Dan Forbes at the Community Business Development Corporation (CBDC Annapolis Ventures). “He invited me to his office, looked at the numbers, calmed me down, and said: ‘Keep pushing through. Do what you do.’”
CBDC would go on to play a crucial role — not just as a lender, but as a partner and mentor. “They helped me finance land, build staff accommodations, and even buy equipment like a proper convection oven and a farm tractor,” Barbara explains. “When I call Dan, he helps me figure things out.”
CBDC’s flexible, character-based approach filled a gap traditional banks couldn’t. “They see me as a person, not just a file on a desk. That’s rare.”
Rooted in Community
Beyond her own growth, Barbara – a proud woman entrepreneur – is deeply invested in supporting local. She buys building supplies locally and works hard to cross-promote attractions from art shops to local farms and historic sites.
“The restaurant isn’t open every day, so we encourage our guests to try other local eateries” she says. She even sources gluten-free goods from a nearby company called Valley Flaxflour. “Whatever someone’s need is — special food requests, accommodation, a quiet weekend — if I can help, I will.”
Looking to the Horizon
Even as Edelweiss Inn becomes a community hub — recently hosting its first intimate wedding and various small events — Barbara is thinking bigger. Her vision includes a fully wheelchair-accessible two-bedroom home for guests, and a barn-style event venue nestled in the property’s back forest.
“I already have the design, the builder, everything in my head,” she says. “I just need the money.” She’s hoping CBDC can help make it happen. “We’re talking about workshops, yoga retreats, Christmas parties, weddings, funerals — there's no all-season event space around here like that.”
In a heartfelt moment, Barbara reflects on what this all means. “I don’t have kids. No family. So what is my legacy?” she muses. “Maybe it’s planting flowers, creating a space where people feel good. Where they come and leave happier than when they arrived.”
In just two short years, many proverbial flowers have already been planted. Many more are still to come.