Tour my brother’s British Columbia homestead

by Aimee

My brother Josh and I may live on completely opposite ends of the country, but we still share plenty in common despite the distance.

Coffee addiction, post dinner naps, gardening, foraging and cooking are a few things that come to mind. We can rock a plain shirt on a grouse hunting trip and we’ll never turn down a good gin and tonic. We both have three children under nine and we both have a thing for homesteading that keeps us busy on our respective properties.

I wish we could hang out more often, but at least when we do, we pick up where we left off as if no time had ever passed.

Earlier this month I took a quick trip up to my hometown of Smithers, British Columbia where Josh lives with his family. He agreed to let me poke around the place with my camera and snap a few photos for you. Thanks, JP!

While homesteading is more of a hobby for their family (both my brother and his wife maintain jobs outside the home) they still manage to keep a flock of twenty hens, a generous garden and a small greenhouse. Their place was looking beautiful in the fall, despite the grey skies.

Josh’s place is nestled on five acres just under the towering peaks of Hudson Bay Mountain (click through for images because this rock is a beauty and I didn’t get any photos of her due to the fog) five minutes outside of Smithers.  It doesn’t have the massive old trees like my place, but the open spaces are restful and allow for a spectacular view in all directions.

I love this corner because it’s often a hub of activity when they are entertaining. Double doors open from the dining room onto a deck and outdoor eating area. The steps are the perfect place to perch with a mug of fresh pressed cider and watch the kids play.

Such is the view from aforementioned dining room and patio steps. It’s impressive during all four seasons, I can assure you, and when that mountain isn’t socked in with fog, you can see her ski runs and snowy peaks.

I can’t imagine waking up to this pastoral view ever gets old.

The flock of hens are free-range most of the summer and provide enough eggs to sell to friends and neighbours. They are a good looking bunch of Speckled Sussex and Barred Rock, and a feisty (to be expected) rooster keeps them protected from predators.

The all-season chicken barn is about as cute as they come. Josh is the town electrician, so of course it is wired with heat and light for the dark, cold B.C. winters.

The garden and storage shed houses skis, antlers, tools and plenty of homesteading paraphernalia. It smells like sweet apples and earth.

I like how Josh pushed out a greenhouse space from one end. Northern B.C. has a fairly short growing season and if the cucumbers and tomatoes can get a head start in the spring, all the better.

Plenty of split wood is essential for those evening fires in the grate; two old galvanized water tubs hold kindling for quick fire starting.

Just down from the house is the fire pit and play structure. Both see plenty of use all summer long.

I somehow missed getting a photo of the garden, but it was mostly finished save for kale, cabbage and the last of the carrots. We dug up a big bucket and roasted them alongside our wild grouse one night. A salad of kale and tart apples rounded out our feast of local eats, and it was all topped off with my sister-in-law’s homemade apple cider. Spectacular!

Thanks to Josh, Laura and family for the tour!

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