Did you hear the one about the popstar who bought a farm?
It might sound like the setup to a joke, but that’s exactly what JB Gill of JLS did.
While still in the band, JB and his now wife Chloe bought a working farm in Sevenoaks, Kent where they live with their two children – six-year-old Ace and Chiara, who is two.
We caught up with JB – also a Tiny Happy People Ambassador and the host of CBeebies Down on the Farm - to find out why he chose the rural life and how farm living plays a huge part in bringing up their children.
Inside JLS star JB Gill’s life on a farm
Farm life isn’t the typical path for a boyband member – but JB said moving away from the bright lights was something he’d always wanted, particularly with children in mind.
He said: “I’d often heard it said that growing up on a farm is second to none.
“It was one of the reasons why I wanted my own young family to establish our roots in the countryside, despite having spent most of my life living in a city.”
Life in the countryside might conjure up images of quiet solitude but for JB, even during periods of lockdown, he’s found it to be quite the opposite.
“It’s only recently, in the face of a global pandemic that we have really come to appreciate that decision to move here. We’ve reaped the benefits of the rural environment and lifestyle.
“We are able to feel part of a relatively close-knit community, something I always experienced growing up but which has become more and more unusual within society these days.
“We can get lost for hours in our bluebell woods or, when it’s warmer, take picnics as a family in the long grass.”
Growing up on a turkey farm has given Ace and Chiara a unique and happy childhood.
And for JB, the experience has allowed him and Chloe to educate their children about the importance of food and how it gets to their plates.
As a family, they’re very open about those conversations.
“We’ve always talked to them about where their food comes from,” said JB. “It shows them the invaluable life skills of a good work ethic and respect for the things in your care.
“Rearing your own produce is second to none and everyone can notice the difference in the taste of their morning eggs. Ours are collected fresh each day from our re-homed ex-battery hens.”
Meal times are always a family affair in the Gill household.
“Ace eats anything and everything!” said JB.
“Chiara is, shall we say, a little more selective in her food choices but it’s very rare that she’ll pass up home grown sausages from the farm.
The biggest advantage to our lifestyle is including our children in the journey our food takes because it’s important that they respect it and pass it on to future generations.
Many parents are daunted by the prospect of explaining just where the meat their children might be eating comes from – particularly if it is a beloved animal.
But JB has never wanted to hide the truth from Ace and Chiara.
“From an early age, we have been honest and open with them about what life on a farm is like, because I believe it’s a representation of what real life is like.
“Farm life is life at its realest.
“I’ve taught them to count as the turkeys we rear in the late summer for Christmas take their first steps on our farm. They see the good and the bad, the highlights in midsummer when the wildlife is thriving and the lowlights, when we get up for the morning feed, only to find dead turkeys strewn all over the fields, fallen victim to the elusive fox.”
Bleat again
There are also many practical lessons for Ace and Chiara to learn.
Lots of parents will have had little helping (or hindering) hands in the garden and it’s just the same for the Gill children – albeit on a slightly larger scale.
“Our children have learned how to take responsibility for our animals and show concern for their well-being.
“I include them in as many jobs as possible around the farm. They love to do their own digging for the vegetable patch!”
JB is swapping his wellies for his dancing shoes once more in 2021, with a JLS reunion tour planned.
And while he’s looking forward to getting back on stage with Marvin, Aston and Oritsé – don’t expect him to give up the family farm life any time soon.
There are so many adventures to be had here and we have all loved every single one of them so far.
“We love living on a farm and we wouldn’t change it for the world!”
Find out more about why JB chose to become a Tiny Happy People ambassador by clicking on this link. We also chatted to JB about the challenges of keeping bees and his recommendations for bee-friendly activities for kids, which you can read here.
