The analysis of Nova Scotia podzol soils and vegetable tissue grown on these soils showed considerable variation in heavy metal content. The lead, copper, molybdenum and zinc contents in soil ranged from 8–352; 3.0–81.1;<0.05–12.1; and 104–984 p.p.m. respectively, while vegetation showed the following range of contents for these elements, 0.8–185.0; 1.0–40.4; <0.02–1.27 and 2.6–240.0 p.p.m. The lead, copper and molybdenum in soils from roadside, intensively farmed and anomaly areas showed substantial increases in content over the lightly farmed areas. Zinc did not follow this pattern. Vegetable tissue followed the same general trend with above ground plant portions having higher metal contents than those below ground. Overall results indicated that above normal heavy metal contents in soils and plants are due to certain geologic formations and contributory man made factors.