About Crossrail Farm
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Lois Philp (nee Dunlop) moved with her parents in 1948 from Toronto, Ontario to Kelowna, B.C. She completed her high school in Kelowna. She went to achieve a Degree in Agriculture from the University of British Columbia and following that became a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in Quelph, Ontario with her first husband and father of her five children, the late Victor Demetrick, D.V.M.
Lois began breeding Thoroughbreds for Racing in 1964. In 1982 she married Dr. Ian Philp a Medical Practitioner and began raising Welsh Ponies in 1987 for her grandchildren. She now has eleven grandchildren that come and ride at her ‘Crossrail Farm’ in the Coldstream Valley outside of Vernon, B.C.
“Our sub-irrigated fields in the Coldstream valley are still brilliant green in September. The creeks are flowing freely dividing the pasture into sections that provide water for the livestock. The grass ripples when the pheasants and California quail run covertly toward their brush hideaways. Last year the white-tailed doe had twin fawns. This year when she paraded her spotted fawn next to the Riding Club fence, during a horseshow, she stopped the show for a few minutes until the deer went back to their safe haven in the middle of the pasture. |
We have a few coyote couples that catch mice in the horse shelters in the winter, and visit quietly through the summer, except in the evenings when they bring their young to dig for moles and add their young voices to the coyote calls. We keep our cats inside at night and our horses ignore the coyotes but fear and chase stray dogs.
Through the years birds have sought haven on Crossrail Farm. Hundreds of Canadian Geese land in the near hay fields in the fall. Spring brings migratory birds that rest in the water and grass in our pastures. They stay for a few days and leave, but they instruct us with a colorful display, like Audubon, through the spring season. Red Tailed hawks are permanent residents. The red winged and yellow headed blackbirds stay through the summer season. Blackbirds dive-bomb the cats, dogs and non-residents. We have developed a comfortable relationship with the pheasants, quail, mallards, and hawks as well as the finches and blackbirds. The ducks have also stopped horseshows when they paraded their babies across the hunter courses, after having a swim in the creek.
My children have been privileged to grow up on our farm, and this has become the same for their families. The residents of many species have learned trust from the humans that live here. The farm has been maintained and kept together by our family, in order that the next generation of children will be able to grow up surrounded by the natural wildlife habitat. The children have also learned to care for other creatures, accept responsibility and follow work ethics and old-fashioned values, while living in the country.”
- Lois Philp
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