It’s incredibly easy for me to get hooked on a show and not once consider where it was filmed (even as I gawk at the breathtaking sights), but in recent times, I have attempted to change that mindset. Ever since making the trek to the Jamestown Movie Set up in the Vancouver, BC area back in 2017, I have begun to foster an appreciation for those who regularly contribute to the overall success of the Vancouver films and television shows, and it just so happens that the MacInnes Farm is one of those special places. It has been the home of When Calls the Heart from season one on, and I am honored to have not only toured the set, but to have arranged an interview with Melanie MacInnes, one of the owners of this family farm. Since season six of When Calls the Heart has officially kicked off, I am ecstatic to share this interview with my readers today!

Jamestown Movie Set

RH: Please tell us a little bit of the history of your farm before When Calls the Heart came along.

MM:

How did the opportunity for filming on your family farm come about?

After our Family planted 36 acres of cottonwood trees we waited patiently for the trees to grow to the point where we could sell them to Scott Paper- a Paper Mill located in BC that was going to use the pulp for toilet paper!  The hybrid Cottonwood trees take 10 years to grow, but on around the 9th year, the Scott Paper closed down and there were no buyers for the trees. Once again we were faced with the challenge of how we were going to keep this farm.  

Growing up on a farm causes the land to soak into your soul and has the presence of a family member.  When we were having a hard time trying to figure out how to start over… again, a little plane flew over our house… a little while later we had a knock on the door from a location scout for a movie.  He asked if they could use the corner field with the surrounding Cottonwood Trees to create a film set! We jumped at the opportunity. Next thing we knew there was a very realistic, quaint little village.  The village was built for a movie called, Scary Movie 4, and was built to match the movie, The Village.

After filming during one of the wettest winters, the production offered to remove the buildings.  We felt that this was a bit of a waste and offered to keep them so student or independent films could use them.  We started getting more and more small films, including a film called Beyond Sherwood Forest. Peter Deluise was the director (one of the main directors for WCTH).  Amongst the crew were the horse wranglers– the ones that do the all the horse-related stunts and look out for the animals’ wellbeing. They just loved the town and suggested we move the buildings from the Scary Movie set and build a Western town.  For some crazy reason, we thought, “Hey, let’s do it.”

With the help of friends and family and some contractors, we moved the buildings and built the town!  We figured, “Build it and They Will Come!” People came all right–directors and producers–but they were drawn to the trees and the open fields and were not interested in the town.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to us Michael Landon Jr and Brian Bird were trying to create a television series called When Calls the Heart.  They had some false starts and things were starting to come together for them, but they were still searching for a location. In the meantime, Kevin, sent a tweet to Brian Bird after hearing there was a production searching for a frontier town.  Brian actually responded to Kevin and eventually, they were standing on our field with Kevin and were planning where to put the row houses.

How has filming this Hallmark show changed things for you and your family?

I remember before WCTH started filing we were out in our field looking at the row houses when two guys came walking along the path.  I said, “Hi can I help you?” He introduced himself, ” Hey mate, I am Daniel, I will be working here in the upcoming season of WCTH.”

Filming season 1 of WCTH

After that, I remember looking out my window at Lori Loughlin from FULL HOUSE!!!! with her face covered in charcoal from the coal mining scenes.  My brother also joined this Facebook group, calling themselves The Hearties, so I joined, my sister-in-law and my mom as well. There were less than a couple hundred members, but we couldn’t believe how enthusiastic everyone was about the show.  It made us feel hopeful for another season. Then the group grew and grew and next thing we knew, we were at the First Hearties Reunion with over 100 fans, sitting at a table with Janette Oke, Lori Loughlin and Brian Bird. I think I might have been in shock that whole weekend as I looked around at ladies dressed in period clothing, with such a vibrant energy.  Fast forward six years later…we could not ask for a better cast and crew, directors and producers. It has been quite the ride!

The filming of WCTH has allowed us to get back into farming and create a place full of Hope. “Farm and Film” allows us to reach a bigger audience, educating people about the importance of connecting to the land, slowing down and appreciating food and community connection.  There couldn’t be a better show then WCTH to represent what community and connecting to “place” can do to help people grow by working together.

When filming is going on, how does that impact the farm and your family?

Since the first season, Kevin, myself, Krista, Ivy, Isy, Sebastian and Lachlan have had opportunities to participate as background characters.  Sebastian and Lachlan have been continuity background for the last couple seasons, and it has sparked my own love for acting which was my childhood and teenage dream.

The production doesn’t affect our daily lives as we just work our crops in the background where the camera isn’t filming and all the parking is on the other side of the property away from our house and production area.

When not filming, how is the part where the show is filmed used?

We have tours in the off season and occasionally other films will use the town for a couple days.

I know there were some concerns about the government interfering with the production of the show in relation to your farm. Can you explain a little bit of the issue to us? 

About three years ago, BC’s Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) that governs farmland to ensure our province secures land for our future of farming, added to their policy that there could only be ten days of filming on farmland.  We then received a letter that we would need to apply for a non-farm permit to continue filming.

Luckily, about one year prior to this, my husband Andrew and I had decided to create a farm plan which included planting hazelnut trees, apple trees, barley, hops, chicken eggs and raising honey bees.  With this farm plan, we applied for the non-farm use. The income from filming is used to buy farm equipment, trees, barns; it never ends with farming. We did receive approval, but with a very hefty “damage deposit requirement.”  This made us very uncomfortable as new farmers who needed equity to start our business, but it also forced us to dig deep and really commit. We sold our family house nearby the farm, moved to the farm and used the money to secure the farm. As much as it was painful, it helped us to commit our life’s purpose of connecting people to the land and farming in a sustainable way.

What has been the best part about having the show film on your family farm? What has been the most challenging part?

My brother and I used to sneak on local film locations when we were teenagers and ask if we could just watch them filming.  They always thought we were crazy, but I still love the whole production of film. It helps having such an amazing crew and over the past six years, we have made some great friends through the process.  We are also lucky that WCTH has such an amazing fan base and I have learned so much through individual conversations and group observations. The challenging part is and was and always will be simply keeping the farm.  I want to share our place with the world so everyone can experience the beauty of the surrounding nature and farm and give people an opportunity to connect to the land where their food is grown.

What else has been filmed at your farm?

We have had many film products since Scary Movie 4, probably over one hundred productions, including student and independent films.  Some recent more memorable films would be: Once Upon A Time, Blue Book, Riverdale, Sabrina, The Virginian, Christmas in Canaan, Timeless, Book of Beast…

Going forward, are you confident that WCTH will be able to film there for the duration of the series? Why or why not?

I am confident WCTH will be able to film here for the duration of the series. We jumped through the hoops that were thrown at us, and they were high and on fire and maybe a bit too small, but we did it!

Christmas At Jamestown

In celebration of When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing and Hallmark’s tenth anniversary of Countdown To Christmas this year, let’s talk about this holiday a little bit. How do you and your family celebrate Christmas? Any special traditions?

I can tell you that we love Christmas!  We go to a local Christmas Tree farm and cut down our tree and spend Christmas and Eve and Christmas with our whole family, enjoying some relaxing time.  

Have you had any moments as a family with all this filming where you were anyone was starstruck by any of the actors coming to set to film?

I was star struck by Lori Loughlin, having grown-up with Full House.  We also had Robert Redford out when he was scouting our place for a film he was producing; we were all star-struck with him.  I love Donald Sutherland and he was here once on The Virginian, driving the oldest car, such a humble man… but I was ironically too star-struck to say “hi” to him.  Also when the cast of Once Upon a Time was here , I thought that was pretty neat!

Many actors, including Daniel Lissing, learned to ride horses on the Jamestown set.

A note from the MacInnes Family (Wendy MacInnes):

Like the Hearties, we look forward to many more years of the wonderful series being filmed here. We are so appreciative and enjoy the time on set with the amazing actors, crew and directors. We also salute the hardworking horses and animals that bring so much life to the town.

Thank you to all of the producers for believing in the show and hats off to Brian Bird for being the Ambassador to the Hearties community.

Wendy and Rod MacInnes

I honestly don’t know how to even begin to thank the MacInnes family for being so gracious with the use of their farm and all the potential and real difficulties that have arisen over the years. While I know they are financially compensated and regularly thanked by the cast and crew (as well as the Hearties), I recognize that all too often, their farm fades into the background and very few understand and appreciate the sacrifices the family has had to make in running a farm such as this while permitting an entire show to “live” on their property for several months out of the year. I know they are immeasurably kind people who are honored to be able to offer their farm for such an amazing show such as When Calls the Heart, but it’s clear that their devotion goes far beyond the money or “bragging rights.” The family is fully committed to the plethora of endeavors with which they are involved in order to preserve the integrity of this farm and to ensure its longevity as a business. Furthermore, they adore the show, and every time I have toured the set, I have been impressed with their hospitality. After all, permitting the fans to tour the set on the property where their home sits…I cannot say I would be jumping at the chance to do that myself. It takes an outstanding family like the MacInnes family who proceeds to go beyond the call of duty and make this film set not only one of the most beautiful movie/TV sets of all-time, but one that embraces the very ideals of Hope Valley. There is no doubt in my mind that Hope indeed lives within the confines of the Jamestown Movie Set, but its inception is within the hearts and minds of the very people who live in and daily work the MacInnes Family Farms.

I hope that everyone is able to tune in the next nine Sundays to the Hallmark Channel or Super Channel Heart & Home to watch the phenomenal season six of When Calls the Heart, the network’s most popular and successful show. Additonally, feel free to visit the links below and take a look at the other panoramic views of this wonderful farm and movie set. Family farms today tend to evoke thoughts of rural living and simpler times of a bygone era, and as the MacInnes Farms uphold their tradition and preserve it for generations to come, I salute their eagerness to invest the necessary time and money to not only maintain it, but to guarantee that movie sets such as Jamestown Movie Set are in existence long after When Calls the Heart films its last season. I am indebted beyond measure to this family and their farm, and I can hardly wait to watch this season unfold right along with them as we view the heartfelt moments and more in a world that is only possible because of them.

FOLLOW MACINESS FARMS/JAMESTOWN MOVIE SET

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