Barriere information please

Curious to know a bit about the place. Some of you live there or close by, mind filling me in?

warmer winter than Beaverdell!

I just lost a long post here. I can fill in lots of information tonight if you give me an idea about what you wish to know.

Radon capital of Canada!

Great fall fair.

rosewood wrote:I just lost a long post here. I can fill in lots of information tonight if you give me an idea about what you wish to know.

Anything you would like to tell me. I appreciate the long post and sympathise with the loss of it!

Radon capital of Canada!

DH heard a radio program yesterday about radon - how it seeps out of the earth and that Barrier radon capital of Canada. I'm not sure how much of a worry that should be. Now he wants to get a radon detector for our basement, just in case. It is apparently not good for the lungs.

I love driving thru the little fort cut off and thru Barriere it always reminds me of the perfect postcard. Beautiful in the spring, lush raging river and just a all round beautiful drive. If it wasn't for the hubby's work here we would be looking for a place around that area.

It is a beautiful place!

Barriere is a recently incorporated community of about 2000 residents. The town is located about 60 km north of Kamloops on the North Thompson River. The town acquired its name from French fur traders although the nature of the barrier the traders encountered is not known. The barrier may have been the mountains just to the south or it may have been the salmon traps used by the natives in the North Thompson. Although the French spelling of the town’s name remains, the town goes by the English pronunciation, “barrier”.
The main industries are ranching, logging and mining. The local economy took a major hit when a large lumber mill was not rebuilt after the 2003 wildfire. There remains a small cedar mill that provides some employment. Many people of working age commute to Kamloops for work, some to Logan Lake to work at the mine there and some to Sun Peaks, a ski resort. There is a proposed copper mine about 30 minutes away to the north east.

The town has a very nice grocery store, an expanding drug store, a hardware store, a feed store and 2 or 3 auto repair shops. An ambulance station is manned 24 hours. A medical centre has two doctors, an x-ray technician and a lab. There is an elementary and a secondary school plus TRU offers some adult courses at a small Barriere campus.

The surrounding area is certainly scenic. Barriere is not as dry as the Kamloops area. For the last few years spring has come reluctantly, but then again so has winter. We still had green grass growing in the pastures. Kale, celery and Swiss chard were still growing in the garden and the blue berries were budding almost to the end of November.

I believe Barriere is at the southern end of the radon gas area with Birch Island being the area of most concern. New homes being built here must be built seal out radon gas.

My first thought was why? Planning a move? I have never been to Barriere, but the pictured painted sounds very nice. The northern Okanagan (think Barrier is called Thompson Okanagan, right Rosewood?) is a lovely place. We sure do like it in our Okanagan area. Love the small town thing and love to hear about small town stuff. One day I would love to drive up there, but using the highway that leaves Hwy 1 at Chase and heads up, think it is called something or other, but can't recall. It is not a main highway, but heard it is a beautiful drive, from Rosewood's opinion. Have an awesome day, CynthiaM.

Thanks for the info, I knew I could count on you guys! Just curious at this stage, nothing exciting happening. You all will be the first to know.

Barriere is in the Thompson Okanagan tourism area. The short cut from Salmon Arm is the Adams Lake Road. Adams Lake is shunning, but is off the beaten trail these days. Historically the lake was a major transportation route north with a local family spending a lifetime operating a boat taking goods to and from the many logging camps.
Adams Lake Road follows the western shore of the lake north until you reach Agate Bay. From Agate Bay travel along the Agate Bay Road to Louis Creek and then north on the Yellowhead Highway to Barriere. The Agate Bay Road goes through a valley of ranches and small acreages.

Rosewood, thanks, ya, Adams Lake not Davis Lake. Wonder where Davis lake came from in my mind. Would love to go up there for a drive next summer, maybe a Rosewood visit should come to pass, smiling. Would love to see you and Wife again (and of course, kids too!) Have a beautiful day, CynthiaM.

CynthiaM sounds like it would be a nice trip on that great bike of yours!!

coopslave wrote:CynthiaM sounds like it would be a nice trip on that great bike of yours!!

That's just what I was thinking!! Cynthia's husband and I did some nice rides together this summer and had planned to try to get out to that general area but it never happened. Next summer for sure.

I travel through and work in Barriere and the region around it once a year. It is lovely. If I didn't already live in paradise, the N. Okanagan, it is certainly somewhere I would look to relocate.

Are you and hubby quietly investigating other ranching options?

Barriere...hmm...is it close to Vernon?

SUe, Barriere is not close to Vernon. Where I live, Enderby, is much closer. About a 30 minute drive, maybe a little less. Barriere is closer to Kamloops.

Rosewood, years ago HUbby and I took a drive, in his words 'a short cut' and we ended up on some road with a huge sign that said 'this road is an active logging road, use at your own risk', and then we bumped and bounced and I figured it was a bad start to our holiday, and we came out in a mill yard. We did see some of Barriere, which at that place seemed quite a narrow valley with high mountains on either side. Very green. Unlike the Keremeos, Hedley area which is narrow valley with high ROCKY mountain, devoid of lush growth, very dry, arid.

I could live in Barriere, I could not live in Hedley. Coopslave, as I remmeber it, it was a pretty place. Adam's Lake fishigng nearby!

Are you and hubby quietly investigating other ranching options? Question

There are some nice ranches for sale here.

Uno, the road has been improved including making it wider in some places. It still may be bumpy as it is still an active logging road. We are close enough to the north Okanagan that the local feed store is supplied by the feed mill at Grindrod.

Rosewood, what is the climate like. When do you plant your veggie garden? What kindof things can you grow? What is summer like?

Coopslave, you ARE thinking about moving!

I have two words for you: Brazeau County

Sue, I am ALWAYS thinking of moving! Last week it was Costa Rica to run a coffee plantation for my nephew......

Costa Rica is a bit warmer than Barriere. Our garden should be totally in the ground after the Victoria Day weekend where we live. Spinach, peas and other cool weather crops may be put in earlier. We have planted in April in a warm spring. In the town itself gardens can be in earlier in May as it is warmer along the river and at a lower altitude. Some of the HIGH valleys have frost in August, but most farm land is at a lower elevation.

Sour cherries, apples, currents, and other berries grow well here. We have a grape doing well next to the south wall of our house. Some manage to grow peaches, but are farm is probably too far above the river and being in a valley we have short days here. Tomatoes (started indoors) do well although most of ours productive plants this year were volunteer tomatoes in the old chicken run being productive. We can only grow short season corn here, but longer season corn will grow in other local areas. We grow beans, carrots, beets, Swiss chard, spinach, leek, and potatoes. Some "farmers" here grow their crops in under ground bunkers or in secret locations on crown property.

We usually have a hot, dry spell most summers, but his may vary from a week or two to in very unusual summers to several months.

I will add some photos of our farm and the area.
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Thanks for the photos. What area are you in Rosewood?