It is always a mood boost to look at the Rocky Mountains every day. The Valley is only 33 km/21 miles across at our location. The clear vibrant headwaters of the Fraser River move from the deep jade green of early Spring, to the rich tea color of tannins after the Spring rains and onto the rich aquamarine of early November before freeze-up. The gurgling movement of water is always calming. The friendly welcoming spruce forest intermingle with the giant western red cedar forest. And all give way to the diversity and color bombs of Spring and Summer when the wild flowers take over the pastures and road side.
Interacting with the weather and the seasons can be exhilarating and puzzling all in the same day/month/year. Immediate signs of early 2025 Spring…+10C on March 25th; +19C on April 6th. Different sort of year. It rained lightly to heavy every month from March-October. Third year in a row our first hard frost arrived in October. In 2025 it was on Oct 12th. We had an average harvest. Some good heat units. However, didn’t make up for the unexpected excess rain.
The orchard requires attention at certain times of the year. However, most years it’s patience and maintenance. Raspberries and haskaps were the heavy producers this year. The welcome reward for many years of patience was our first harvest of Evans sour cherries from our 14 ft high trees. Rescued from a neighbor’s root suckers in 2015. We learned together. They didn’t really want to be trees. They are much happier as giant tree bushes!
Livestock were an expected joy. The cattle know me: my voice, appearance and smell. The cows that have been born here are all very calm. Even the bull calves are friendly when given the time to know you. Most of the calves were born in the Spring. To see them play, gambol and chase is a perpetual appreciation for the gift of life. Our livestock guardian dog has matured. He is very intelligent and does his job. Hay can be a struggle of territory and needs when he wants to nap in the hay pile and the cows want to eat!
Big improvements planned…no need for the riverside garden water system this year! New windows installed in the Common House. They add to the year round indoor comfort. Property road improvements were welcomed. Should make access for larger farm equipment a lot easier. And should be a lot simpler to maintain!
Big news at the Ancient Forest Provincial Park a few kms away is the new Lheidli T’enneh Interpretive Centre scheduled for completion in 2026. Was happy I was able to attend the farewell of the Robson Valley Music Festival this year. What an exceptional family all age event that ran for 20 years! Felt fortunate I was at almost every one…Very unique cultural tribes in the Valley. Something for everyone!