Taking Measure

Guest: Sandra Parrish reads from September in Measure of the Year. Sandra Parrish grew up down the road and just up the river from Above Tide, the Haig-Brown family home in Campbell River. She has many fond memories of spending time on the banks of both the Quinsam and Campbell River with the ever-present sound of running water  as a backdrop to her childhood.  She has worked at the Museum at Campbell River since the 1980's and the nature of her work has been intricately tied to the Haig-Brown House for most of her career. Sandra joins host Dan MacLennan to share stories and observations that span decades here at Above Tide. You can link to the Haig-Brown House website here https://www.haig-brown.bc.ca. There you'll find all kinds of goodies including historical photographs and information about how to experience the house and all it offers in person or virtually. Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts.   

Guest: Ian MacAlpine reads from  “Country Magistrate, In Court” from May in Measure of the Year. This episode provides a glimpse into the Lay Magistrate side of Roderick Haig-Brown.  In the month of May, Roderick devotes the chapter to  the life of a country magistrate both in and outside of the court.  Retired BC Provincal Court Judge Ian MacAlpine joins host Dan MacLennan from his home in Abbotsford. It just so happens that Ian MacAlpine spent the first 10 years of his life in Campbell River, born here in 1936.  His father was the BC Police Officer here at that time and had many dealings with Roderick Haig-Brown as a Magistrate.  Together Ian MacAlpine and Dan MacLennan unpack the role of the Country Magistrate back in the day. You can link to the Haig-Brown House website here https://www.haig-brown.bc.ca. There you'll find all kinds of goodies including historical photographs and information about how to experience the house and all it offers in person or virtually. Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts.

Episode Description Guest: Paul Barnett reads “Organizations” from June  in Measure of the Year. Paul Barnett's parents were friends with Rod and Ann Haig-Brown. Once Paul grew up and returned to Campbell River after university and worked as Executive Director for the John Howard Society for 26 years, he became good friends with Ann as she joined the board of the John Howard Society to carry on with Rod's work after he died in 1976. Once Ann stopped driving, Paul became Ann's chauffeur to take her to the board meetings and often after the meetings they would debrief in the study. In this episode, Paul chats with host Dan MacLennan and offers a glimpse into their friendship and the meaning of participating in organizations to help enhance  a community. You can link to the Haig-Brown House website here https://www.haig-brown.bc.ca. There you'll find all kinds of goodies including historical photographs and information about how to experience the house and all it offers in person or virtually. Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts.  

Guest: David Brown reads “Let Them Eat Sawdust” from December  in Measure of the Year. David Brown, a long-time family friend of Rod and Ann Haig-Brown joins host Dan MacLennan to share favourite memories and reflect on an especially provocative essay in Measure of the Year. You can link to the Haig-Brown House website here https://www.haig-brown.bc.ca. There you'll find all kinds of goodies including historical photographs and information about how to experience the house and all it offers in person or virtually. Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts.

Guest: Brian Brett reads “Art or Science” from January  in Measure of the Year. Brian Brett, the writer in residence at Haig-Brown House 2007 - 2008 and the writer of the forward in the latest edition of Measure of the Year joins host Dan MacLennan to reflect on his time at Above Tide.  You can link to the Haig-Brown House website here https://www.haig-brown.bc.ca. There you'll find all kinds of goodies including historical photographs and information about how to experience the house and all it offers in person or virtually. Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts.

Guest: Diana Kretz reads “Livestock” from April in Measure of the Year. Diana Kretz has lived on Hudson's Farm on the edge of Campbell River and its estuary for most of her eighty-plus years. Born and raised in Campbell River, she received her teaching certificate from the University of British Columbia which lead to teaching stints in Surrey, Revelstoke and in England. She travelled throughout Europe before returning home to teach in Campbell River where she met and married Jim Kretz, a logger from Washington State. They moved on to her parents farm and raised a family. Her life for as long as she can remember has been closely intertwined with the Haig-Brown family. The Haig-Brown kids were her friends. Her parents, Tom and Mavis Hudson were good friends with Rod and Ann Haig-Brown. Tom and Ron had a remarkable amount in common but more on that later.  Diana Kretz joins Dan MacLennan from her home at Sandbar Stables on Hudson's Farm. You can link to the Haig-Brown House website here https://www.haig-brown.bc.ca. There you'll find all kinds of goodies including historical photographs and information about how to experience the house and all it offers in person or virtually. Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts.    

Guest: John Barker reads “Visitors” from August in Measure of the Year. John Barker has had a passion for fishing for as long as he can remember. Born in Liverpool, he and his family came to Canada when he was 9 years old. As a lad he fished rivers and creeks and explored the great outdoors. In the early 1960's while he was studying at UBC, and looking at the job board, he found what would turn out to be his dream job, a guide at Painters Lodge in Campbell River BC.  John joins Dan MacLennan today from his home in West Vancouver to talk about Roderick Haig-Brown and how he was shaped and influenced by this relationship. You can link to the Haig-Brown House website here https://www.haig-brown.bc.ca. There you'll find all kinds of goodies including historical photographs and information about how to experience the house and all it offers in person or virtually. Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts.  

Guest: Neil Cameron reads an excerpt from “Canada” from March in Measure of the Year. Neil Cameron is a former editor and publisher of the now defunct Campbell River Courier Islander newspaper. He's also a past editor of Island Fisherman Magazine and BC Outdoors. To say he is an avid Fly Fisher would be an  understatement of epic proportions. He is a recipient of the Totem Fly Fishers Roderick Haig-Brown Conservation Award and today he joins Dan MacLennan for a playful yet at times serious conversation about how he was influenced by reading Roderick Haig-Browns work. You can link to the Haig-Brown House website here https://www.haig-brown.bc.ca. There you'll find all kinds of goodies including historical photographs and information about how to experience the house and all it offers in person or virtually. Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts.

Guest: Mary Haig-Brown reads from “The River” from February in Measure of the Year Mary Haig-Brown, the second daughter of Roderick and Ann Haig-Brown, joins host Dan MacLennan  to reflect on growing up at Above Tide, their family home in Campbell River - and shares with us her life long passion and dedication to making the world a better place one river at a time. You can link to the Haig-Brown House website here https://www.haig-brown.bc.ca. There you'll find all kinds of goodies including historical photographs and information about how to experience the house and all it offers in person or virtually. Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts.

Guest: Alan Haig-Brown reads “On Hunting” from November in Measure of the Year. Alan Haig-Brown, the second youngest of the four children of Roderick and Ann Haig-Brown, joins host Dan MacLennan reflect on growing up at Above Tide, their family home in Campbell River - and offers insight into his father's role in the community as a lay magistrate and a mentor for many. You can link to the Haig-Brown House website here. There you'll find all kinds of goodies including historical photographs and information about how to experience the house and all it offers in person or virtually. Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts.

Guest: Valerie Haig-Brown reads “On Making a Library” from October in Measure of the Year Valerie Haig-Brown, the first born of the four children of Roderick and Ann Haig-Brown, joins host Dan MacLennan reflect on growing up at Above Tide, their family home in Campbell River - and shares with us what it was like in that magical cozy room lined with books and steeped in fond family memories. You can link to the Haig-Brown House website here . There you'll find all kinds of goodies including historical photographs and information about how to experience the house and all it offers in person or virtually. Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts.

Guest: Celia Haig-Brown reads “On Children” from July in Measure of the Year Celia Haig-Brown, the youngest of the four children of Roderick and Ann Haig-Brown, joins host Dan MacLennan reflect on growing up at Above Tide, their family home in Campbell River - and reveals she didn't actually read Measure of the Year until well into adulthood - and was captivated!  You can link to the Haig-Brown House website here https://www.haig-brown.bc.ca. There, you'll find all kinds of goodies including historical photographs and information about how to experience the house and all it offers in person or virtually. Listen on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts.

Welcome to Taking Measure; a podcast series exploring Roderick Haig-Brown's 1950 classic work Measure of the Year: Reflections on home, family and a life fully lived. In his book Measure of the Year, Haig-Brown presents a chapter for each month in the lives of the farm, his family, the community and the nature that surrounds them.  We're going to bring you Haig-Brown in 12 parts through his book and through the eyes and voices of his four children and others who knew him well.  We'll take a measure of the man through his Measure of the Year.