"Hearties," aka superfans of the hit Hallmark series, When Calls the Heart, can rejoice that the show will be back for its tenth season this July. Before season 10 even begins, the show announced that it has signed on for at least one more season, so there will be plenty more romance and drama coming to the beloved period series. The entire show takes place in the adorably small town of Hope Valley, which is full of unique characters and dreamy backdrops.
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The show's lead, Elizabeth Thornton, arrives in the small Western Canadian town to be a school teacher at the start of the series. The coal-mining town is quite the opposite of the wealthy town where Thornton grew up, so she navigates her new normal while slowly falling in love with the town and a handsome Mountie. After she marries her true love Jack, he passes away in a mining accident, leaving her alone and pregnant. Over the years, she learns to rely on the town and those around her to rebuild her life and raise her son, Jack.
The show has been going strong for nine years, and Hearties have fallen in love with more than just the show's character. The small quaint town has a personality all on its own, and those wanting to fully immerse themselves in Hope Valley may have a chance to do just that. While Hope Valley is not a real town, there's a shot you can visit the set location.
The town of Hope Valley
2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: David Dolsen
Unfortunately, Hope Valley is a completely fictional place and is not based on any real town. But the show is filmed at the real MacInnes Farm in Langley, British Columbia. The real family-owned farm is about an hour south of Vancouver, and a real movie is set within the property. Many of the scenes are shot on the Jamestown movie set, which houses all of the charming storefront facades.
Even though the show is shot on a staged movie set, the Hope Valley magic isn't all fake. Brentan Harron, the production designer for the show, let fans know that before filming, the crew built two authentic row houses on the property. These two-story houses are set back away from the official movie set and are used as Elizabeth and Lee and Rosemary's homes. Interestingly, even though the homes are two stories, there are only rooms built on the first floor.
The scenery
2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Eike Schroter
Though the cute town of Hope Valley looks perfectly picturesque on-screen, the set becomes almost unrecognizable once filming ends. All of the expertly placed flowers, schoolhouse books, and gas lamps disappear during the off-season, making the town feel quite limp and lifeless. Luckily, when it's go-time, the cast and crew help bring the town of Hope Valley back to life.
According to Parade, many of the scenes highlighting the town are thanks to special effects. Even though the opening credits pan over a beautiful mountain range, the range is all done via special effects. The long row of row houses is also done thanks to creative movie magic, as there are only two real row houses on the property.
MacInnes Farm Before the Fame
The 100-acre MacInnes Farm was established in 1977 as a local dairy farm. Unfortunately, like many family farms, the farm struggled to sustain an income and sold the dairy cows in 1991. Shortly after, the family purchased cottonwood trees for toilet paper production. The Scott paper company had plans to purchase cotton for its paper products but was shut down, leaving the MacInnes back at square one. The MacInnes returned to producing barley and apples and continue to harvest the land today.
Can you purchase products from the farm?
Today, visitors to the farm can purchase farm fresh eggs and local honey. The farm has even partnered with the Honest Company to create Be Ingredients honey, which is sourced from over 50 honey bee colonies on the farm. The partnership aims to educate customers on the importance of bees and other pollinators.
Movies filmed at MacInnes Farm
2019 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: David Dolsen
While When Calls the Heart may now be what the farm is most known for, the farm is a prime filming location for several other movies. The first movie scenes to be shot on set were for Scary Movie 4, followed by Riverdale, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Once Upon a Time, Timeless, Beyond Sherwood Forest, and The Book of Beasts. Currently, the only thing being filmed is When Calls the Heart, and fans can even follow the Jamestown movie set for behind-the-scenes looks at the set and property.
Attend the Hearties Family Reunion
Super fans of When Calls the Heart are affectionately known as "Hearties." The Hearties Family Reunion is held near Vancouver, Canada, and offers fans the chance to visit the set, meet some of the cast, and hang out with other Hearties fans in person. Even though the event can't confirm which stars will be present, the cast does make their best effort to show up. This year will be the sixth family reunion, though there was a brief hiatus during the pandemic.
Since there is such a large demand, but limited space, fans are selected to attend via an opportunity drawing. Perspective attendees need to fill out a registration form, and if your name is selected, you are going to Hope Valley! The cost for the September 22-24 weekend is $425 and includes a welcome dinner, a welcome party, a meet and greet with the cast, and a tour of the Jamestown and Hope Valley set. While the dress code is casual, fans are encouraged to don their best period pieces to embrace the show's theme.
READ MORE: Michael Landon's Son Created The Hallmark Series 'When Calls the Heart'
