There’s something special about coming back to a place that helped shape who you are. Our family farmhouse is one of those places. It wasn’t much to look at in the beginning, but over time, it became something special a real home with a story worth telling.
Family Farmhouse 1963
My family moved here in 1963, when the house was barely more than a four-room shack. It had been a country school house in it’s past life. It wasn’t fancy, but it was ours and like most farmhouses of the time, it was built with hard work, determination, and a look towards a better future.
Family Farmhouse 1964
I found an expense of $3000 in some old farm paperwork but unfortunately I do not know exactly what was done to the house in 1964. The house was painted as you can see the transformation from the pictures in 1963.
I also believe they made two bedrooms in the attic. Mom had mentioned once there was no upstairs when they first moved in, only a stairway going up to an attic area. There were three children by this time so space was probably needed. Over the years, bit by bit, my parents turned that little shack into a real home.
Family Farmhouse 1971
In 1971, my parents added a large dugout. Not as a decorative thing or for the view but as a practical solution. It brought running water to the farmhouse for the first time.
Before this I remember melting snow on the stove and a big barrel of ice for our water in the winter. In the summer water was hauled in big barrels from a small pond on the property.
I asked how they cleaned the water, or if they did? My aunt said they often used an old nappy when it was too thin to use, to filter out the dirt and wigglers. No filtered bottle water in those days!
Since the dugout was our water source we were not allowed to swim there. The old barrels that were used for hauling water were now used for us kids to dunk into. When the barrels were full they were deeper than we were tall, so it was a great way to cool down.
Family Farmhouse 1972/73
In 1972/73 (not sure of the exact year) dormers were added to the attic to make a third bedroom. An improvement that I am sure made a big difference as there were now 6 siblings. My older brother had his own room. My sister and I still shared the south room and my 3 youngest sisters were in the north bedroom.
Family Farmhouse 1977
In 1977, came one of the biggest transformations. With a $15,000 budget my parents lifted the house, built a basement, added an extension to the east side and rennovated the main floor. A septic tank was also put in giving us our first flush toilet.
On the main floor extension my mom now had a new bathroom, laundry room/sewing room, a rennovated kitchen and a big basement to send us to.
In the basement we had two bedrooms, a second bathroom with our first shower, a large family room and a cold storage. The furnace which had been in the living room was also moved to the basement.
At 16 I finally had my own bedroom and I was able to decorate the way I wanted. Fun fact. It still has the same wallpaper today. My older brother moved into the second basement bedroom, giving my 4 sisters and younger brother more room upstairs.
This rennovation added more space and many modern convienences we had not had before. It made for a happier and easier life for my parents I am sure.
The Next 3 Decades
I lived in the family farmhouse from the time I was two years old until eighteen, when I left home in 1979 to go to university. In the past 46 years there have been many more memories made and stories told at regular family gatherings. Every August my parents would host a lawn party for their anniversary.
In the 1990’s and early 2000’s my Mom had many garden shows to show off her fabulous flower gardens. Throughout the years there were wedding receptions, grandchildren and some sad times, all adding to our farm history.
Since the big rennovation in 1977 there has not been many changes inside the farmhouse. My Dad and Mom left the farm to move into Manning in 2010 where they lived there until they passed away in 2021 and 2023. My dad would drive to the farm every day to check on things and do a few chores, which helped keep the farm acreage alive.
After my parents passed away, my 6 siblings and I agreed to keep the farmhouse and acreage. We have a 22 acre farm site with the farmhouse, a big garage, some old out buildings and also the chicken coop, which I use as an artist studio.
Coming Home
This is my first winter at the farmhouse since I left home at eighteen. I am documenting my stay on my Instagram, Facebook and my YouTube channel.
The family farmhouse holds layers of memories. Laughter and fighting around the kitchen table, a big Christmas tree in the tiny living room, the smell of fresh baked bread and doughnuts, muddy boots by the back door and the creaks of the old floor boards are just some of them. They all remind me of my family and the love we shared and are still sharing.
I hope every traveler has a place that feels like home, a spot that grounds you no matter how far you’ve wandered. For me, that place is our family farmhouse. It’s where my story began long before van life, road trips, or adventures on the open road. Coming back here reminds me that every journey starts somewhere and mine started right here, on this little patch of farmland.