Who are you?

Geoff and Janet Horn and we live in Merville, BC, also known as “The Gumboot Capital of Canada” (just north of Courtenay, BC). We live on 2.3 acres of rural, mountain-view property, with our chickens, geese, cat, Koi fish and many wild animals including rabbits, raccoons, black-tailed deer, black bear, the odd cougar, as well as a host of resident birds and vast numbers of migratory feathered friends that appear and depart with the seasons. Some of these wild animals can be very annoying when they climb or fly over fences and sneak into the yard to eat our grapes and apples!

What do you do for fun?

We are both retired so we love to alpine ski mid-week, hike the many trails surrounding the Comox Valley, read voraciously and visit with friends and relatives. When we need a break from the gardening, freezing, canning, soup-making, and creative cooking, we try to take off and explore new territories in our little “Fun Finder” trailer (and yes, we usually find some fun!)

What is your favourite community? Why?

Our two favourite communities right now are Commercial Drive in Vancouver and Cook Street Village in Victoria. Our younger family members live there and both places have a variety of unique shops, restaurants, pubs, etc. all within walking distance. It is fun to have urban getaways from our quiet, rural life.

What is your superpower?

Together, we think that our awesome superpower is hosting parties, usually, but not always, in the form of dinners, both large and small, with a very eclectic mix of folk in attendance.  We are also taking a serious run at year round food self-sufficiency with the current greenhouse project under construction to supplement our three-season garden.

How do you use it to build community?

Well…anyone who has joined us for dinner-on-the-deck is usually treated to a fabulous garden feast (picked that day), accompanied by a locally raised/acquired entrée (choose from the following: chicken, beef, pork, lamb, the odd rabbit and at times venison and moose with locally caught sockeye salmon and halibut). Meal preparation, consumption, and the pleasant aftermath serve as a forum for inclusive discussions…a wonderful way to make connections and learn about other people’s interests.

My Three Favourite Things About Geoff and Janet Horn are…

1. The Compound. This is where it all happens, folks. Unfortunately, unless you know the password that gets you past the electronic gate, well, the garden, koi pond, multiple-decks, orchard, chicken coop(s), pasture, barn, woodshed, homestead,  and will always be on the other side of that fence. Which is one of the compelling elements of the Horn Household – it is an exclusive place to be from and to visit. This, however, is incredibly ironic, as my parents (especially my mom and, semi-begrudgingly, my dad) are incredibly community-minded, friendly, neighbourly, inviting, and inclusive people.

2. Educational Humour Edutainment. Both of my parents are hilarious. My dad is a masterful storyteller who weaves yarns of mysterious, historical, humourous, untrue, and always educational varieties. My mom is a tangential storyteller who can captivate audiences of children, teenagers, twentysomethings, “old people,” seniors – and everyone in between – with her warmth, preparedness, intelligence, and giggly-charm. The thing is that, no matter what they’re making you laugh about, by the end of the story/song/skit/presentation you realize that you’ve learned something.

3. Going Local. Here is an abridged list of what my parents have canned in the last two years: tuna, chicken, tomatoes, beets, beans, soup, chutney, chow-chow, zucchini, salmon, pickles, mushrooms, jelly, and jam. There’s probably more. They also have one of the most bountiful gardens this side of Eden as well as some fine-lookin’ layer-chickens that provide them with delicious eggs every day. I recently heard a hilarious (and semi-tangential) story of how my folks took several dozen meat-birds (chickens for eating, not laying eggs) in a friend’s van (no cages were part of this journey) from Merville to Coombs, BC (about a three hour round trip) to have them slaughtered for food. They also have a modest orchard (it’s mostly modest because of the weather, raccoons, bugs, and birds this year) and grow grapes and kiwis in the lattice on the back deck. Finally, they are currently raising two geese (obviously named Maverick and Goose). The greenhouse is under construction (pictured). We jokingly refer to the place as “the compound” because of the property being a cow, pig and micro-brewery away from being a fully sustainable homestead. Barbara Kingsolver and her Animal, Vegetable Miracle mantra would be oh so proud of my folks’ penchant for keeping things local, organic and sustainable.

Three More Things About Geoff and Janet Horn (because they’re awesome)…

1. Support from a Distance. Some parents are super-intensive-overwhelmingly involved in their childrens’ lives. Others are so hands-off that it makes them out of touch with their kids needs and successes alike. Geoff and Janet – somehow, some way – strike the perfect balance of offering distance but eternal and unconditional support, too. Like, if I left UBC tomorrow and managed the Gumboot full-time, well, I could probably do it from their barn in Merville. Besides, while they’re out on adventures in their Fun Finder (not kidding, that’s the name of their trailer and there’s even a picture of it above) they’ll need someone to watch over the homestead.

2. The Love. What can I say? Their love is a beautiful thing and a model for all life-partners to strive for. I’m pretty sure they like their kids a little bit, too.

3. Growing the Best Version of Ourselves. Growing up, my sister (Turbo) and I were lucky enough to be provided with the environmental and cultural landscapes – as well as the tools and experiences – that allowed us to find and develop the best versions of ourselves. Sure, there were some bumps and hiccups along the way (this one time, I ruined Christmas, but we don’t need to get into that here now), but, hey, can you really have an authentic funny story without a few tangents thrown in every now and then? According to The Horns, probably not.

As told by John Horn…