Episode 171 ”Life on Glen Alwin Farm”

On this episode of "The Edible Valley Podcast"  We have come to meet Jo Smith and Helen Nixon of Glen Alwin Farm in Grantham between Merville and Courtenay. The farm is one of the oldest in the CV being cleared in 1884 from Bushland by William Chandler Smith who was the grandfather of Jo Smiths late husband Tom. But jo’s story starts 5000 miles away in the idyllic Devon town of Salcombe in England where she spent much of her childhood, but eventually her family decided to move to the Comox Valley where she would eventually meet and fall in love with a local boy Tom Smith, they were to get married and have 4 beautiful daughters Anne, Doreeen, Barb and Helen. keen to ensure they learned the skills of farming Tom and Jo instilled a strong farming work ethic to all of their children, and they had their work cut out as it took them a total of 10 years to clear 116 of land and are in fact still pulling up roots to this day. 

 

Today the farm is thriving, worked on daily Helen and Claire Nixon they now have sell all over the island and at the ever busy CV Farmers Market, 

 

This is a story that covers 3 centuries in this valley, it gives us great pleasure at the Edible Valley Podcast to welcome Jo Smith and Helen Nioxon.