Brandi and Chris began farming as a hobby. With backgrounds in health and fitness (Brandi is a physiotherapist and Chris a strength coach/fitness trainer), we were particularly concerned with our personal health and therefore the quality of our food. Our nutrition studies led us to the understanding that mineral content in produce has been progressively declining for decades. Further investigations taught us that large scale farming practices, while productive, are destroying topsoil and the micro-organisms within it. Practices such as ploughing and tilling leave surface soil bare, making it susceptible to wind and water erosion. The application of fertilizer, pesticide and herbicide destroy soil biology. All the bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, insects and earth worms that break down organic matter and provide plant available nutrients to crops are wiped out, making soil dependent on chemical inputs to provide nutrition to plants.

We also learned livestock are often not fed foods that resemble their native diets. They are typically fed a diet that maximizes growth and profitability, with little consideration for humane treatment of the animals or quality of the product. Cows for instance are herbivores, left to their own devices they will forage on grasses. Chickens are omnivores but they prefer a high percentage of their diet from insects, grubs and slugs. Pigs are famous for eating just about anything, but they love foraging for roots, tubers, insects and nuts. Despite several millennia of evolutionary preference, almost all livestock are fed some combination of soy, corn and grains.

We found it exceedingly difficult to access high quality food from trusted sources. Food labels are confusing and have been manipulated by crafty marketers.

We began to experiment with vegetable gardening, which quickly escalated to raising hens for eggs and soon after pigs for meat. Even though it was extremely difficult and frustrating at times, we found it very exciting and rewarding to learn the fundamental skills required to produce our own food.

At the same time, we observed the havoc city life played on our clients’ health. Long hours of sitting indoors, staring at screens followed by a long commute home leads to mental exhaustion, sleep deprivation, chronic stress and poor food choices. Our minds and bodies have evolved to solve survival problems while on the move in outdoor environments. The majority of us have become domesticated, bearing little resemblance to our hunter gatherer ancestors. We realized despite our best efforts to help our clients; we were just trying to unplug a drain while the faucet was running full blast. Lifestyle is the key to unlocking health. Both for our clients and ourselves.

If only we could find a way to earn enough from our farming enterprises to leave our successful careers in the city. Well, in 2018 we made the leap. We now proudly possess a micro cultivation licence to grow cannabis and we are raising 100% grass fed/finished beef, pasture raised pork and chicken. We are perpetually adding dogs, cats, ducks, bees and all kinds of furry friends to our homestead. We still experience plenty of stress, but its good stress. Hard work outdoors, gardening, tree planting, solving problems and spending times with animals leaves us very fulfilled and satisfied.

We’re extremely thrilled to be taking on this adventure and we are very much looking forward to seeing the changes on our property over years. We hope you’ll join us too!

Chris and Brandi