13 Years Living Off the Land - Man Shares REAL Homestead Experience
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 มิ.ย. 2017
- Peter from TreeEater Farm & Nursery (treeeaternursery.com/) in BC shares the challenges and lessons learned from his experience earning a living off the land for 13 years with his partner Magdalene.
Peter moved to a piece of land in British Columbia's Gulf Islands as an idealistic 22-year old who wanted to save the world and reduce his environmental footprint by growing his own food, building his own shelter, and producing his own fibres for clothes. Magdalene joined him a few years later.
To make this homesteading project financially viable, the couple has had to experiment with different revenue streams, including community supported agriculture (CSA) vegetable box programs, hand forged tools, meat animals, dairy cows, and selling fruit and nut trees, as well as plenty of off-farm work as well.
After a steep and labour-intensive learning curve, Peter has realized that living off the land can be very expensive, that it can be difficult to earn an income from agricultural products - especially if your land isn't situated in an area with a market for your product nearby, and that living off the land requires a lot of infrastructure & maintenance - all of which costs time and money. And they aren't even trying to be off grid.
It was refreshing to get such an honest look behind the scenes of what appears to be a utopian lifestyle: living in a hand built timber frame home with a cozy wood stove, and eating fruit and nuts from your own island orchard's trees, and to know there's quite a big financial and physical struggle to make it all happen.
To learn more about Peter and Magdalene's Farm & Tree Nursery, you can check out their website and follow them on Facebook:
treeeaternursery.com/
treeeaternur...
Thanks for watching!
Mat & Danielle
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VIDEO CREDITS
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Music & Song Credits:
All music in this video was composed, performed, and recorded by Mat of Exploring Alternatives.
Editing Credits:
Mat and Danielle of Exploring Alternatives
Filming Credits:
Mat of Exploring Alternatives
Photo Credits:
Photos of Peter & Magdalene provided by Tree Eater Nursery
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now this seems real. unlike some stories that make it seem like you buy land and boom you can live off the earth with no problems. good luck to him.
Sinclare ... it's all about mindset... are you ready for the lifestyle or not! It's a spiritual commitment... but even spirit does not like being stagnant!
You think you're ready. But you are not ready.
MyUniverseDNA true..must be positive in lifestyle mindset you desire.
I'm a pencil sharper my wife is a stay at home game show critic our budget is 1.9 million dollars do you think I can afford some land and house like that because potatoes. just don't grow on trees you know
aye
I really appreciate his honesty.
I love how real and honest he is. You can tell he is a hard worker
much thanks for being truthful about the cost+capital+footprint
I might question the footprint aspect. He's not driving 12,000 miles a year, taking flights, hitting the drive-through for his meals. That stuff adds up pretty quick. Factory farming, mineral extraction, heavy industry to manufacture planes and modern vehicles, etc. is so pervasive we don't even think about it. The aggregate footprint is pretty heavy. Would be pretty interesting study.
Yes, great video! We are calling all citizens of the world to join our movement. We are a humanitarian organization of artists, professionals, NGOs and local communities united to save the planet and humanity! We need everyone united to save our lives and future! Cooperation between citizens, local governments, communities and organizations is key to prevent the extinction of humanity. We have created the network. Join us and SHARE at maximum speed! And ask those you share it with to share it with others, and so on. By virally sharing the network, we can grow the network at maximum speed. Time is short! Join and share at instagram and our website. You can shop art for humanitarian causes. You can donate 1$, if millions unite we can save our lives through the networks of local and global help. Or simply by sharing it spreads the movement! Everything we do helps the humanitarian action to save our lives and planet! Maximum speed and cooperation of everyone is needed! Join us! Any questions? Contact us!
@@markw999 I don't hit the drive thru very much for dinner it tends to give me the runs
@@markw999 he's economically restrained, can never break. Indebted to the land and operation costs, and absolutely trapped. Great example why we shouldn't do what he did.
@@nateportney672 I was kind of thinking along those lines as well. You're tied to an economic system whether you want to be or no. Ours doesn't treat subsistence farming very kindly. What's a medical emergency do to this guy? Still, if he's happy......
I stumbled across this video and really glad I did . I am a homesteader in NW Arkansas. I started when I was 50 and now am chasing down 67. I like that you talk about the realities of homesteading . So many seem to sugar coat it . it's alot of work , but much happiness comes with it too.
Why chase 67 down it will catch you eventually just wait for it
Northeast Arkansas here. Would love to visit
It’s probably why you look so young
I hear you lots ,of work especially when you are age I’m 67 as well
Thankyou for your comment i am 23 and it honestly feels like it’s over for me but reading your comment sparked a light in me.
I like this guy. He got started because of the romanticism, then reality hit. Good for him- he dealt with it and didn't give up.
Thanks for presenting the reality. I've watched a lot of videos in your category and people seem bent on selling a lifestyle as a means for more views.. you guys keep it real.. i really appreciate it.
Thanks so much for the feedback, I'm happy you enjoyed the more realistic style video =)
I wanted to say what you said but you said it better and more eloquent.
Word up!
neptronix --->> because life is all about creation and more expansion and so on... I've notice this in my life and for just observing people!
if you say so Bubba lol
Your honesty about the pros and cons about your choice of lifestyle are admirable. But what is really admirable is that you had an idea-or a dream-and you went with it!!
Exactly! Live your life & not let Life live you. That's what my older sister once taught me & I'm thankful she did.
@@empresssky8425 what is let your life live you?
music Of nature it’s like when you live by default. You don’t create your own life, you just let it all go down the path of least resistance. I mean it could go just fine like that, but generally people are left dissatisfied.
that guy was awesome...he didny have the often associated 'rainbows and unicorn' message. He appeared honest and humble...TY
This was great, it's so important to understand fully the realities of living off the land. Thank you so much!
Thanks for checking out the video, I'm happy you enjoyed it :)
ยากแดกยูวะ้
if you friends thinking of planting a tree but not able to due to certain reasons.
then dont worry i will do it for you just go thru this link.
www.fiverr.com/goldyforyou/plant-a-mango-sapling-for-you-or-on-your-birthday
lets just dont sit and think about doing lets do it now .
Lovely life. ....maybe not rich moneywise, but rich in so many other ways.
Exactly, the concept of "rich" is a slave and binding notion. This is hard, and we struggle making things work, but we are always happy and always feel free. Would not trade it for anything.
🙏❤️
So, you know, I've actually been looking for a video like this for quite awhile...and it was unbelievably hard to find. I was interested in finding this "realistic perspective" because I also tried homesteading. For 7 years. It was only last year that I recouped just enough of the money I invested to get the heck out while I still could.
I don't want to make this a long ranty post, but to just give some detail, here's what happened for me.
I went to college for business and worked in the corporate world 10 years. I was smart with my money and saved. 8 years ago I decided the crazy hustle and bustle of corporate city life was wearing me down. I was tired of all the consumerism and mass-mill farms, etc. I decided to take my savings and start homesteading. I had 200k saved. Initially I thought I could just invest half and I would be fine. Boy was I wrong! I purchased 10 acres of land in Arizona for 20k. It was raw land with no structures. I had no power, no water, no sewage, etc. I had to build and contract out for all that. I found a small mobile home on CL for $8k and thought that sounded like a good deal but had to get it to my location which was yet more cost. Then the initial purchase of plants, trees, crops. A few chickens at least for eggs. The costs were really mounting. Now I needed yet more infrastructure built. I needed coops for the chickens, planting beds and irrigation for the crops. I needed to build another small building for extra storage, etc. All said and done, the total investment for just a basic farm-like set-up and semi-livable land was $150k. But that was just initially. My land was quite far from a city. So gas started adding up. Grocery trips still needed to be made for even basic things like toilet paper, etc. Then the basic life expenses. An animal gets sick or the car has trouble or a crop fails and now you're facing near disaster. It was incredibly hard to make any kind of sustainable income. In the end I had to invest yet more money in different kinds of fruit trees and other livestock, just to make money. Like I said, after 7 long years of a pretty hard, exhausting life, I only just managed to save up enough moeny, sell my land and move back to Phoenix. It's been a harsh lesson. I had to find work again after being out of the employment scene for 7 years. I managed to net enough income from the sale of my land and savings that I was able to scrape together to buy a rough, small 2 bedroom house in a not super part of town. The house is now my fixer-upper. I transported some of my fruit and veggie trees with me and still grow them. Now, I just live my life conscientiously. I research companies and brands and corporations. I don't buy from big business. I buy from small, local business owners every chance I get. I try to live with as small a footprint as I can. I bike to work everyday. I compost. Things like that. But...I'll never go back to 100% raw homesteading again.
This was all just my own personal experience though. I made some bad decisions along the way and I was incredibly idealistic and naive. I hope any of this can help someone else.
Hannah Eli Edgin man I can’t imagine doing all that by yourself! 😵
nexttime you could plan before you start. just an idea ...
Now my friend maybe you are prepared!
Thank you for sharing your experience :)
Thanks
This is so god damned refreshing. I'm so tired of all the back to eden crap posted by ex bankers and real estate millionaires. Thanks for this!
@Bronze you'd probably need to set up some passive income generator in the city to be able to live this lifestyle.
@Bronze i think by passive income generator, they meant investments (e.g. dividend paying stocks, etc.), not electricity generator. but that would need to be sorted out too.
Yes, if you watch New lives in the wild (great series BTW), a LOT of the especially older single men who live out there, had high-flying careers where they made tons of money, then they sold everything and went off to live in the wild. It's certainly easier for them, with tons of money to start with, than for the regular person barely scraping by.
@Yisa wat
@Yisa lol
At 22 years old and with very similar goals and no capital myself, Peter vocalized many of the hurdles I anticipate facing. Thank you for sharing his story and what I can only imagine is a tiny fraction of his wisdom. Your channel never fails to inspire me, and I aspire to someday put out videos of this value and quality! Thanks Mat and Danielle!
That's good to hear! We're trying to balance the content that we post by showing the benefits and challenges of various alternative lifestyle choices....we don't want to only show the bright side of things and give people false expectations. Thanks for watching and I wish you all the best in your futur adventure!! :)
Is this approach becoming more common, I wonder. Anti-selling? To prevent a hype-burst from false expectations not being met?
Growing Life plant your Apple trees now..thats one of my biggest regrets...not planting Apple trees on my property when i was your age...im 42 now..good luck brother
That's the goal! I don't have land yet, but I'm already planting fruit trees where I can convince others to let me. Just converted my mom's yard into a huge garden - definitely has me looking forward to having some land of my own eventually.
Growing Life first step is to get rid of all debt and pay cash for everything
"without capital, change is hard. It's hard to build things without capital"
I bet they will make a better income by giving workshops teaching all they know on sustainable living!!!
Yes that is my idea to do.....
Mauricio Ortiz Buitrago probably. Teaching.
Thats true
Totally. Permaculture design courses are becoming more and more popular.
Yes. They really should start a youtube channel and setup patreon, paypal etc.
I'm a very idealistic 18 year old, kinda like he described. And this was probably a wakeup call because I also underestimated what all this would cost
Scaling to your cash flow is key. Meaning that you only acquire expenses and liability proportionally to your cash flow stream. You can start a microgreen or other similar business in an apartment and get a business started so you actually have cash flow before you start trying to build the business. You could have lbs of the most sought after and high value product but if you have no one to buy that product then it's worthless. You need to have products flowing already before you buy the land. That and as he mentioned having no debt are key. The number one reason businesses fail in the first year is running out of start up capital because they underestimated the actual costs of getting to cash flow positive.
we've been off grid for two yrs... he's soooooo right when he says the bits about the real costs of building... still tho, I can say I wouldn't change a thing.... struggles and all
I very much enjoyed this interview. Very honest and frank depiction of trying to live a "homestead" type of life.
Fantastic... Realistic. Great story, honest guy, this is it, no ideology but harsh reality. Beautiful place, he built... reflects him inside out.
dude smart, real smart!!! respect.
Its almost refreshing to hear someone talk abour the hardships you endure when trying to go off grid even thought he referred to it as "negative". I feel like it is so important to prioritize wheat mens most to you and realize all the things you might have to give up that are a close second to your peimary wants. Small decisions are hard but decisiding to live off the land is one thats overwhelming I'm sure.
I really liked this story. It's more about his life including work then just his house. I wish it was a longer video. Also, I never would have thought about money still being an issue when you're off grid. Thanks for the quality content! :)
Awesome, that's great feedback! I'm happy you found it informative and yeah, we definitely learned a lot that we didn't expect from chatting with him. Thanks for watching!
I want to second the idea that it could have been longer. I wouldn't mind if Danielle and Mat posted these short bits to keep the revenue stream and then occasionally posted some long-form version of the same stuff that goes "in depth" or with "more information/details" about how so and so did such and whatnot.
F
Going Tiny Life - Off Grid Tiny House Homestead lol even basic things like salt cost money x
I agree with Randy Zopyr. A little more in depth and return to these interesting people. Making short segments about the individual aspects of the homesteading. How many chickens? Do they sell eggs? How did the selling of the trees and bushes come about? What knowledge base would one need to do these similar things.
I love how honest he is in this video. Nowadays, it's hard enough to be able to bare one self openly to the world, but for the filmaker to capture these moments & still make it an educational tool for those who would want to try this way of living is quite an achievement. Great job!
This was awesome, hearing from someone whose own ideals align with some of my own. Eating healthy and being a bit more naturalistic are very important to me. I'm so happy you were able to cover this.
Thanks so much!!
My trees are like my children too, finding someone to relate to is rare for me. So inspiring, great video!
I like this place. I want to start homesteading when I get out of the city, soon
DIY Solar and Wind I feel the same way. Looking for someone to help out with their project.
He said he tends to be a negative person... but it was such a positive and inspiring talk!
t's
A
I agree..
He has become a realist. You gotta get real before you get spiritual.
Linda Fleming Linda this sentence goes deep and a long way. Lots of Gravy (Truth and Logos) in it.
I think what you and your partner have accomplished thus far is truly wonderful even if at this point you are still tied to the grid. Great job you two!!! 👍🤘✌🐈
This is still my favorite video. It's the most realistic perspective that i still havent really seen anywhere else.
Incredibly awesome video and an inspirational human, with an interesting outlook on the "Off Grid Life"
It is refreshing to hear someone actually say that it is hard and that with out capital it is pretty much impossible. I can see that with our choices. We have recently moved out to "The Country" on our own plot of small acreage and things do cost a lot.
One Life, One Search,
Peace Out,
Shane
Such honesty!
Great video. His honesty is so helpful and refreshing. I think his emphasis on having capital is critical for potential homesteaders to hear. Good to see both sides of the coin.
The best part of this video is his honesty. Great video!
Such good insight and advice! Thanks for taking the time to interview him and make the video, and thanks for the words and experience!
What an AWESOME human being you are! Honest and Inspirational.
This is SUCH a helpful video. Loved his rotating solar panels - that is next on our list to do on our farm :D
Loved your video, truthful and from the heart. You inspire me.
What a humble and honest fella. Tellin it like it is. Inspiring, and it doesn't put me off trying to live more sustainably. Love those trees!
Bless you both, you guys are awesome. Thank you for sharing your homstead, dreams and experiences
love his realistic outlook, thank you.
Thanks for being so honest about the realities of this lifestyle (even if you said you wouldn't call it that). I think the idea of going back to the land has become so idealized, it's refreshing to be reminded of its limitations as well. If you don't mind my asking, what are the economic forces you have to deal with now?
manu ochenta I'm assuming he still has to pay land tax, income tax etc. And as he said he can't travel, go on holidays etc because he has no spare money. Things like the computer+solar panels need repair, small things like toilet paper medicine or broken equipment add up. It's great to fantasize about this lifestyle but in reality we need help from other humans for a lot of things and thats where money comes in.
Joshua S we don't "need" help from others, it's ingrained in us. We can break this with longevity.
Someone who is truly unplugged/off-grid isn’t going to be on TH-cam.
@@1SunScope that depends on your concept of unplugged. Growing your own food and supplying your own water and energy needs...is generally what is considered "Unplugged" It does not mean, in many people minds, no mobile phone or internet.
@@joshuasmith2809 "he still has to pay land tax, income tax etc" // Exactly! Also, now we are living in the world where local communities are totally destroyed. While earlier there was a lot of people living nearby who were producing a variety of locally made tools and services. Now he is coerced to depend in himself. The cheapness of the so called 'modern world' is a delusion. Turn off the fossil fuels and it all brakes.
I really appreciate this video...!the perspective of his experience, their experiences- as a person who dreams about doing some version of this it’s a good reality check but I hope I keep going forward - all of us that have these dreams- keep dreaming them- and to the people that already are living them and learning and developing ways for these ideas-that’s awesome! that helps us all- thank you for the work that you do!!
I really love the honesty that is in a lot of your videos. The people you talk to all seem like they are genuinely nice people who are just trying to do there bit. It is refreshing to hear about some of the challenges as well as their triumphs.
I really appreciated this guy's perspective
This was the most honest review of off grid living I’ve ever seen
Extremely refreshing to hear such honesty 👍 Thank you
Great documentary on your goals and lifestyle, I think u have it going on, great job, thanks for sharing your honest struggles with us, really enjoy the different varieties of plants u have.
Great story! I really enjoyed.
Nice vid!! Camera work was great. Humble dude, and good pace to the video..
You're extremely blessed brother. Not very many people can experience the joy and satisfaction of reaping the benefits of the land. Hard work and belly full of natural resourced food is a reward most people would take for granted. God bless you.
Refreshing to watch something so honest and straightforward. Best of luck to him!
Love this highlight, such a real dude. I want to be his neighbor
This was a very REAL video. Thank you
Thank you for keeping it real I do need all these information! I think you doing well! keep up the good work !
He was so humble. what a great guy.
I live on my own farm in Hawaii and the cost is not as much a you would think. The only help is having someone mow my Place every month. I make more money then I need every month. But like you I live simple and in a tiny home with power and phone. Water is free from catchment.
Phillip Hernandez But do you get any surf time in? Lol.
Unlike this guy in the video who lives in an isolated island in Canada, Hawaii has a huge market potential for local produce because most produce is imported and I hear it’s expensive, local produce can taste better and US shipping and costs of doing business is much cheaper too, often 50% cheaper. How much did your land cost? What town are you located in? How frequently does it rain there on a daily/weekly/seasonal basis?
I truly appreciate your honesty. I personally have think huge romanticized ideas about homesteading. So I love your advice. Thanks so much.
Pammie from Chicago
Thanks for sharing your farm. It made me feel so good for awhile. I'm 60 and miss working the land. Glad some people still do.
great vid. finally an honest presentation - my wife and I have been on our homestead 16 years now and we are still working on some aspects of independent living.Thanks for posting
He is simply Awesome. I wish I could live his life.
I too am extremely idealistic (especially about money)! So I really appreciate this man's honest sharing. Makes me step back and consider my land search with more realistic eyes.
@M R True!
what an awesomely unpretentious soul. so rare in the world. haven't heard a voice like this in a long time.
There was a lot of honesty in that video, and it was very refreshing, thank you.
For anyone worrying about the cost of being off-grid I recommend a book by Mark Boyle called the Moneyless Manifesto. It's got practical tips for getting the things you need for FREE or atleast very cheaply.
thanks for sharing...planning to go off grid...
Thank you. I wish I could live like this. Working in an office hurts my spirit and my health and I just feel trapped everyday w no way out.
Beautiful honesty of this man is appealing
.
Thanks for the great video on offgrid life. 4 years ago we bought a property to live off grid a few islands south of you, the first winter in a cabin with no power or water was a huge hurdle but now with basic off grid systems in place life is easier. Nice to hear your stories I can relate too, Denman has a great and diverse community and is a beautiful place!
Just found your channel and really like what your doing.We live off our land also doing many things to create enough money to make ends meet.We are not off grid in our heat its just not doable for us at our age.But love what your doing.
Four thumbs up!
I love rustic life
@@elviradelfin5130 it does make life more enjoyable.
@@elviradelfin5130 very funny lol
He spoke very well. Great vid
Suuuuuper useful to hear. So many dream, but the realities of this lifestyle must not be forgotten! Thanks for highlighting the REAL truth.
Loved it. No holds barred. Nothing like an honest answer.
keep your head up. your efforts are definitely noteworthy. Permaculture will get to be a standard with people like you practicing it's methodologies. thanks for your contributions to mother Gaia
hi lookin at your video the way you are living WOW man tell you i have photographs of my farm ==homestead way back in the 1800s when my Great -Grand parents first came to America from England and set up home here in Utah your spread is identical you are a brave couple "its going back in time when values were something to treasure i wish you all the success God be with you now ...............Ed
I really appreciate your honesty. I heard something recetly that went something like, "find your joy, and do lots of it." Simple , but in context how many people can say they do that everyday...very very few. You my good Sir, seem like one of those people.
Honest tough reality. Makes a strong man with good character.
People in Moldova live off the land. Our family used to live like that before we came to America and it was hard and it is still hard to this day for my friends and family who still live in villages. You work hard all day long but you still need to have a job to make money to buy clothes, soap, etc... But there isn't enough time in the day to take care of everything. Also like he mentioned you can't take a vacation either bc someone has to take care of the garden, animals and you don't have enough money to go on that vacation. Sadly that's why so many Moldavians have moved away from living off the land. Many have left the country to just be able to come home at a reasonable hour from work and relax.
My family is from Romania and it is true that in this day and age, subsistence farming cannot support a family financially because of industrial farming competition. My village had some good memories though.
My son worked in a fish cannery in Seward, Alaska for 3 years. Two of his best friends there were Moldovans. He said they were the hardest working guys there, and really great people.
A brutally honest self-assessment , very humbling and thanks for the insight.
I love his honesty and realism.
Thank you for sharing.
Wow, i realy appreciate the honesty, when he talks about costs, and the difficulty of living out there in the land.
Great Video! It would be nice to see more like this :)
Great to hear! Thanks so much for the feedback Andreas. We're definitely always trying to get more stories like this :) :)
Andreas upsidedown I agree this was very well done
I would love to have your life. I’ve lived in the birbs / city all my life ,and I’ve hated it since my first backwoods camping trip. 30 years ago.
Love what they're doing. Thanks for sharing!
I learned to manage and watched my uncles 8 acre fruit orchard grow for 10 years before I bought by own 5 acres to play with. I also prioritized the fruit trees in coordination with the construction of my home, which isn’t done yet three years inn, but I think it was the right choice because it’s given me something to hold onto during the frustrations of the building project. My community loves and appreciate locally grown food, but not many here have what it takes to farm on lava rock, so I feel a little like a lone wolf in what I’m doing. That doesn’t curb my enthusiasm for the project through, it just makes what I’m doing all the more important, and pushes me harder. I only have 105 fruit trees in the ground, which is a lot for my area, but it’s a joke to anyone with deep fluffy soil. I have to work really hard to get a fruit tree in the ground... that has a chance... and I chose some really exotic crops that are hard to grow, but I’m doing beautifully at it, so I’m stoked. What you said about crop selection is important! Proper tree spacing is also important! Grafted fruit trees all the way, when can! And also, there is more money in tree propagation in many cases than in the actual sale of fruits themselves.
I fully enjoyed this interview. When he talked about being "trapped" but also blessed at the same time is the current dilemma I find myself debating. Which direction to go?
actually i am going to start over my life at 34 years old and my plan is buy something cheap south of France and grow fruit tree :) maybe that could work regard to this exemple :) thanks for the share
Thanks for watching and best of luck starting something new in the south of France. It's a beautiful place!!
That’s amazing
Wish we knew how you did there. It's beautiful.
Thank you for being honest and transparent.
It's always a joy to me to listen to a modest and inteligent person. It's like fresh air, as time passes, you miss it more and more.
great video thank you
You're very welcome, thanks for watching!
Thumbs up. ENJOY... THE SIMPLE LIFE
So much admiration and respect for this man & his community♥️
That's funny, planting fruit trees and getting the plants going was our first priority once we got land too... had to rough it on raw land for a while. Really inspiring man =]
Great video, did have to laugh when he said he was a negative person and kept his face straight, ha ha ... I think honest person would have been a better description, lovely but hard lifestyle :)
tiggasmum hahahahh right that part was hilarious hahaha bc u can still tell he's GRATEFUL AF even when he throwing tantrums lol
Love this video
Thanks Evan :)
He is probably the most honest person I've ever seen. The essence of honesty.
Thank you for sharing this video, both for the real-life perspective that is often lacking online, and for introducing me to a local(ish, I'm on a different Island) nursery that, from what I've read so far on their blog, is really challenging the norms in a good (read, diversifying) way! And to top it all off, I just found an old friend, lol... I hadn't seen Magdalene for a long time :)
Awesome video!
Thanks Christopher!
I was going to ask what Gulf Island he was on, but I found it on his website. My husband and I want to go off grid, but land is so expensive here in BC and I am pretty tied to Vancouver Island.
I appreciate your honesty, thanks for being so open with your experience.
This guy is so refreshingly honest. Thank you being real.