This land has had good caretakers since 1901. We're doing our best to keep that going.
After a year and a half of searching with a lengthy wish list, we spotted a Ritchie Brothers for sale sign on the corner of a property in Foothills County. The Lungal family graciously opened the gates, answered every question we had, including "is the old place haunted?" (we'd heard rumours — all false, for the record). Travis spent some time studying YouTube videos on how to win a real estate auction. It worked. Our bid number was 253. The name wrote itself.
A place that's been at this a long time
This land has been welcoming people since 1886, when two young brothers from England first camped along Sheep Creek. Ranchers, builders, and a pair of sisters who built the home still standing here today all left their mark before it sat empty for twenty years, waiting. In 2019, we found it at auction and saw not what it had become, but what it could be again.
It started with wanting to know where our food came from
We wanted a connection to the land, to what we were eating, and to a way of living that felt more honest. We craved space to get our hands dirty and to learn the older, slower ways of doing things. We are also, admittedly, serial renovators. The farm was a perfect fit and by far our most ambitious project to date.
It has been a heap of hard work, a lot of trial and error, and probably the most exhausting decision we've ever made. It's also the best one. We wouldn't have it any other way.
meet the farmers
the people behind the place
Travis
Travis grew up on a grain farm in west-central Saskatchewan, which gave him an early appreciation for the land and a work ethic that hasn't quit since. He earned his Permaculture Design Certificate through Verge Permaculture in 2020 and brings a deep commitment to regenerative land and animal management to everything he does at the farm. He spent 12 years as a professional hockey player and has been with the Calgary Fire Department for over 20 years. He also has a tree problem. Over 20,000 planted and counting.
Deanna
Also from Saskatchewan, Deanna's passion for growing, preserving, and foraging developed long before the farm. Her background is in Interior Design, and becoming a farm girl was never part of the plan — but it's where a growing sense of responsibility toward the land first took hold. She oversees all renovations at the farm with an eye for function, flow, and a cohesive aesthetic built over 30 years of collecting vintage and antiques. She is always looking for the next diamond in the rough.
You can find more of her work at deannathiessen.com
the family
Our two grown kids have ventured out on their own, but the farm will always be home. Jagger is a Calgary firefighter, and Ava is a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine. They’re never too far away, and between the four of us, there’s always something happening out here.
