Other Titles

Home: Tales of a Heritage Farm

About the Book

Glamorgan Farm in North Saanich, B.C. is one of the oldest farms on Vancouver Island. Owner Anny Scoones rescued the original farm buildings from near-destruction and has carefully restored them. Under her ownership the barns housed rare breeds of livestock, while the gardens and orchards flourished with heirloom plants and vegetables.

In a collection of stories, told with clear-eyed observation and gentle humour, Scoones conveys some of the challenges, joys and griefs involved in preserving the farm for future generations to enjoy. She also explains how a period of solitary imprisonment in Russia led to her purchase of the farm and to the philosophy that underlies her way of life there.

Lorna Crozier, Susan Musgrave, and P.K. Page are among those who have been inspired by Glamorgan Farm. Home contains a previously unpublished poem by each of them. 198 pages with 10 pages of colour and black/white illustrations, plus 1 fold-out map.

Cover and text design by Frances Hunter.

“Not only is it beautifully done in literary terms, the portraits of animals, people and events sharply drawn, it is also funny, charming, and while very perceptive in an off-beat, quirky way, it never fails in its generosity.”
Sharon Butala

“All good and heavy words have just one syllable. Here they are revealed, beautifully. Home is a blessing.”
Bill Richardson

Awards

Home: Tales of a Heritage Farm was one of the five finalists for the 2005 BC Booksellers’ Choice Award in Honour of Bill Duthie. The award is given for “the best book in terms of public appeal, initiative, design, production and content.” B.C. Book Prizes

Reviews

“With a style as warm and folksy as E.B. White’s, Scoones spins the tales of her life on Vancouver Island’s Glamorgan Farm. Whatever she describes–whether it’s the hedgerow around the farmhouse or the unique architecture of the Great Barn–whether it’s about Dinty Moore coming to tea or the community coming to a barn dance–she does it with with gentility and a captivating grace. Her book could easily become a classic.”
The Vancouver Rain Review of Books, Winter 2005

“A pretty little book enriched by watercolours, drawings, poems, and recipes, it’s full of passages describing a simple cosy life…The best thing in this book, though, are the passages about the visits Scoones’ mother, who is losing her eyesight, makes to the farm…mother and daughter display a relationship that seems full of affection and free of strain–an inspiration to us all.”
The Vancouver Sun, 12 February, 2006

“…She welcomes people who just want to look around the place, much the way she welcomes readers into her life on the farm, rich in people, creatures, growing things, an intimate world illuminated by Anny’s love of it, her generous spirit, her amusement, and her real gift with language.”
“The Active Page” (February 2005)

“Almost 50 people turned out on a freezing January evening to listen to Anny Scoones read from Home: Tales of a Heritage Farm, her delightful new book of short stories. We laughed at her descriptions of her bare necked chickens and her smelly, but much loved old pet goat ‘Merlin the Billy goat’ and were touched by the story of her mother’s annual visit, told with such love, understanding and humour. This is a gentle book by a complex, funny, compassionate woman and her love of people, animals and the area she lives in shines from each page. Illustrated by Anny’s parents, both well known artists, Home is the perfect antidote to a rainy west coast day.”
“Community Arts Council of the Saanich Peninsula Newsletter” (Vol. 1 Issue 6. 2005)

“The tales are delightfully quirky and funny. As you meander through them, Anny fills each with colour and texture, whether she’s ‘showing’ you the flowers and the heritage trees in her orchard, sharing the antics of her many stray animals …, or the people who have peppered her life and added their wisdom, compassion or craziness.”
“Peninsula News Review”

“The most compelling chapter was The Russian Diaries. In it, she describes two trips she took to Belarus and her efforts to help some of the orphans of the Chernobyl accident… After spending two years collecting orphanage supplies in Canada, the author finds herself a virtual prisoner ‘locked up in Belarus’ for nine days, her ‘load of cargo’ having mysteriously disappeared. It was this gruelling experience that led the author to buy Glamorgan Farm, the place where she now finally feels at home.”
“The Daily Gleaner” (Fredericton, NB)

About the Author

Anny Scoones was born in 1957. She was raised in Fredericton, New Brunswick, but spent summers with her grandmother on Galiano Island, in British Columbia. After travelling abroad and in Canada as part of a theatre production crew, she settled on Galiano before moving to Vancouver Island.

Anny purchased historic Glamorgan Farm in 2000. For a decade she was committed to restoring the farm’s heritage buildings, raising rare breeds of livestock and growing heirloom produce. Her writings on these subjects have appeared in magazines and story collections. Anny has a B.Ed. from the University of Victoria and a Diploma of Humanities. She served as an elected councillor for the District of North Saanich before moving to her present home in Victoria, B.C.

Artist Biographies

Molly Lamb Bobak was born in Burnaby, British Columbia, in 1920. She studied art under Jack Shadbolt at the Vancouver School of Art and joined the Canadian army in 1942, becoming the only female uniformed war artist in 1945. After the war, Molly married fellow Canadian war artist Bruno Bobak, and they had two children. Now settled in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Molly continues to make regular visits to the West Coast. Although her sight is failing, she still paints small watercolours of North Saanich wildflowers and scenes from Pacific Rim National Park.

http://www.gallery78.com/mlbobak.htm http://www.collectionscanada.ca/05/05100204_e.html

Bruno Bobak was born in Waweloka, Poland, in 1923. He trained as an artist in Toronto, Ontario, and went on to become one of Canada’s youngest war artists, commissioned in 1944. After the war ended, Bruno and his wife, Molly Lamb Bobak, painted and exhibited throughout Europe. In 1960, they moved to Fredericton, New Brunswick, where Bruno was appointed artist in residence at the university. From 1962 until his retirement in 1987, Bruno was director of the University of New Brunswick Art Centre.

http://www.gallery78.com/bbobak.htm http://www.collectionscanada.ca/05/05100203_e.html

Hedgerow Press: 10876 Madrona Dr, North Saanich BC, V8L 5N9 · Phone: 250-656-9320 · E-Mail: hedgep@telus.net