North Country Homesteader

by Darlene M. Reierson, Jewel L. Reierson

Imagine packing everything up and heading off into the wilderness with your spouse and two little girls to live an off-the-grid life-not just for a year or two but for decades. That's exactly what Darlene M. Reierson and her husband, Brien, did with their two young daughters back in 1975. For the next several decades, they eked out a living in the wilderness of northern British Columbia, Canada, logging, trapping, and generally living off the land all the way from Prince George to the headwaters of the Skeena River. This is the first volume of Darlene's journals, in which she captures the highs and lows of their frontier life, from the pleasures of a sunny day and a good home-cooked meal to the perils of battling the elements and the dangerous wildlife that surrounded them. In addition to Darlene's record of their daily life and adventures, this book also contains numerous recipes and other how-to tips that relate to homesteader living. Anyone who has ever dreamed of such an existence will be fascinated by this firsthand glimpse into the mind of the sort of person who would embark on such an adventure. And who knows? It may also inspire some readers to set out on a similar journey of their own.

Genres: Nonfiction

330 pages, Paperback

Published July 21, 2022

Reviews

[Amanda Sheridan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author and her family live 'off-grid' in northern Canada and this book is a diary of her life there as they hunt, fish and build cabins in various spots. It's interesting to a point but too repetitive with endless diary entries about washing and ironing and cleaning the cabins. I would have liked more reflection on their lives and descriptions of the landscape and the peoples they met, but I got washing and ironing.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the book, would not want to lead that kind of lifestyle but enjoyed the read appreciated the recipes and the year long shopping list, she had for what she needed for dry goods . Hoping to read more by this author