Roots of the Thomson Family
 Farmer
Bill Thomson is the great grandson of James Thomson Sr. who immigrated to the
Alberni Valley from Scotland in 1890. Along with three other men.
James
Sr. a contractor played a key role in the construction of British Columbia's
first paper mill on the Somass River using bracken fern and rags. Paper Mill
Dam, a popular swimming area, is the site where the mill originally was. James'
son William, at the age of 20 bought 160 acres of land at the McCoy Lake area
in 1900.
The majority of land was covered with large trees and was cleared
by hard manual labour, horses, stump pullers, and blasting powder. This was
the beginning of Thomson's dairy business known as "McCoy Lake Farm". It is
still the present site of the Thomson homestead celebrating its 106th year
this year. 50 acres are also standing in second growth trees with several signs
of old logging practices visible from the past.
William farmed along with his two sons Jim and Ed until 1944 when he suffered
a heart attack and passed away. Jim and Ed took over the operation and Jim's
eldest son Bill (Farmer Bill) helped his Dad and Uncle most of his life. In
1985 Bill and his wife Dezi bought the farm and in 1988 they purchased the
102 acre Littleton farm adjoining their farm and bordering up to the Pacific
Rim Highway.
Together they ran the farm and raised three children, Billy, Kryssie, and
Kasha who also helped to milk cows and pitched hay bales whenever it was necessary.
In the early 1990's, the B.C. Dairy Industry had enforced many unforeseen changes
to the dairy industries forcing many small dairy outfits to leave their operation.
At a Farm Marketing Seminar in 1996, Bill and Dezi discovered that many farmers
had diversified their farms to direct farm marketing with much success. So
in March of 1999, after 99 years and four generations of milking cows, Bill
and Dezi made the toughest decision of their lives. They left the dairy industry,
sold their cows and quota and began to diversify
their farm.
Farmer Bill's Country Market is now very much diversified. It's both a Direct
Farm Market and an Agri-Tourism business venture. The first year 1999, the
market site operated for the month of October only, and with hard work and
long hours
it
was developed on the Pacific Rim Highway, where they sold corn, pumpkins, zucchini,
hay, and some crafts under large tents. Tractor pulled wagon rides, the pumpkin
patch, birthday parties, school and group tours, a hay bale maze, farm animals,
children's play area, and an outdoor Cook House provided the local residents
and tourists with entertaining activities. The highlight of the month was the
Halloween weekend celebration. Hay wagons took people to the Haunted Barn along
the Wagon Trail that was lit by rows of carved pumpkins where the people encountered
ghosts and spooks on the trip. It was great Halloween fun for the whole family.
Farmer Bill, Dezi and Kryssie welcome you to their farm for some good old
country fun!
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