John is a welder, musician, shepherd, and aquaculture man! He grew up in Central Alberta, and now lives on the farm he created and built some 50 years ago. A few years back, he began creating "Hamingja - Heritage Farm & Nature Preserve with his partner, Janina, and they now raise the unique, primitive breed of sheep known as Soay which are relics of the Viking Age and earlier times. The Soay Sheep, Icelandic Sheep, and Icelandic chickens are unique animals which retain much of their original gene pool and characteristics which remain close to wild animals. The harvest of the ancient fibers and working with these intelligent, independent animals and birds is a journey to the past unto itself.
John has long been a musician and has played in rock bands, alt country, and continues to explore those genres. He and Janina play a variety of folk music, with his vocals and guitar generally being accompanied by Janina's Indigenous-styled and other world flutes. John declares himself "Viking by marriage" and joins Janina in a variety of Nordic pursuits including travels overseas to take part in Viking Villages, share in the design and construction of the farm's Viking -influenced buildings, carve, drum, and build boats.
John is a man of the lands and waters and with his fish hatchery, knows a lot about trout! He is a staunch defender of the watersheds and can share many canoeing stories, fish stories, and explain how the rivers flow... Visit Hamingja - Heritage Farm & Nature Preserve and share in some of those stories while creating your own!
John has long been a musician and has played in rock bands, alt country, and continues to explore those genres. He and Janina play a variety of folk music, with his vocals and guitar generally being accompanied by Janina's Indigenous-styled and other world flutes. John declares himself "Viking by marriage" and joins Janina in a variety of Nordic pursuits including travels overseas to take part in Viking Villages, share in the design and construction of the farm's Viking -influenced buildings, carve, drum, and build boats.
John is a man of the lands and waters and with his fish hatchery, knows a lot about trout! He is a staunch defender of the watersheds and can share many canoeing stories, fish stories, and explain how the rivers flow... Visit Hamingja - Heritage Farm & Nature Preserve and share in some of those stories while creating your own!
