In October 2024 my husband and I travelled to Ayer’s Cliff in the Eastern Townships of Quebec for a special holiday. When I was 7 years old, I came to Barnston Township with my Mom and Dad to visit his Aunt Doris and Uncle Freeman Sutton. The only things I remembered was that they had a round barn and I slept in this quaint room with a white iron bed and homemade quilt.

70 years later, I decided that I would like to explore this area and discover my maternal grandmother’s family. Her name was Marjory Sutton Summers and she was born in Barnston Township.

One beautiful day, we set out to explore the Gould Cemetery where most of the Sutton family are buried. Then we visited the Municipality office of Barnston-Ouest. When leaving, we asked about round barns and she suggested we visit Stanley Holmes about 5 minutes from there.

That day was the beginning of a new friendship and appreciation of the Holmes family and their unique historical round barn and what they live for. To Peter and I, it was another a major life event and example of serendipity as we said in the 60s. It was meant to be.

Here we are, back in Way’s Mills, Quebec, for the month of April and staying at the Cottage in Erin and her sister Kelly’s Air bnb. This website and adjoining facebook page will follow the Holmes farm, not only the round barn, but their enterprise, history, and the ups and downs of a hardworking Canadian, bilingual family. Stanley, almost 90 years old, is the father of Kelly, William, Stanley Junior, Robert and Erin. Their mother, JoAnne passed away 5 years ago.