Seeking a simple life, connected to nature, Barbara and Neil White moved to Hidden Springs in 1975, not long after their blissful backyard wedding. At the time, it was a scrubby, muddy, forested piece of parkland. Subsequent decades saw them clear pasture, put up a simple log house, raise sheep, and welcome four babies. The farm, its outbuildings, and amenities expanded along with their family.
Barbara and Neil’s intention was always to “come to this place, stay here forever, and do whatever work was put in front of [them].” While farming and land stewardship were consistently part of that work, Barbara built a career as a teacher and Neil spent many years as a minister, then a counsellor.
In 1999, Neil envisioned a new chapter for Hidden Springs: one that would welcome people in need of rest to a Guesthouse on the hillside. Inspired by the hospitality he’d experienced on sabbatical in L’Abri community in Switzerland, Neil was struck by the correlation between a place that is surrounded by peace and its inhabitant’s capacity to reflect it. He set out to replicate that feeling here.
Tragically, in 2013, Neil was killed in a car accident. We’ve missed him every day since. His legacy lives on in the home and Guesthouse he built, and through the work ethic he instilled in us. Keeping his vision tenderly in mind, we’ve made it our own. We are honoured to welcome and care for you in his memory.