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Freeride Farming
Chris Rubens and Jesse Johnston-Hill Seed Change in the Monashees
Growing organic arugula and tackling a technical ski line aren’t all that different. Both require patience, perseverance and a willingness to adapt to conditions.
With multiple decades under his belt as a professional skier, Chris Rubens has been listening to the mountains for a long time—his goal being to safely ski big lines in the backcountry. But for the last five years, mountain sense has led him and his partner, Jesse Johnston-Hill, to a new objective—growing vegetables for their community in Revelstoke, BC.
Chris and Jesse had been talking about starting a farm for a few years, “loosely looking” for a plot of land, according to Chris. Then, in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, when grocery stores were plundered and food scarcity in mountain towns became more apparent, it felt like now or never. Lockdowns began and Chris’ first thought was, “Why the fuck are we not farming?”
In the fall of 2020, Chris and Jesse bought a 2.7-acre plot of land on the outskirts of Revelstoke, and started First Light Farm. In the winters, they’d ski. But come spring, they’d dedicate themselves to the growing season in the Monashees.