Eight Years Off The Grid
by Rain Ackerman and Rudy Buller

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Who comes to mind when you think of environmentalists? David Suzuki? Al Gore? Greta Thunberg? You probably don’t think of a group of oddball conservationists who, in 1984, formed a co-op and purchased a piece of off-the-grid land in rural Manitoba. In very economical and unorthodox fashion, they built their own houses, produced their own electricity, grew their own food, and recycled their waste. The natural life they tried to lead involved a lot of trial and some hilarious error. Rain Ackerman joined this community the year it was formed. She stayed for eight years, had three children there, and served loyally as co-op Secretary. Eight Years Off The Grid is her thoughtful and humorous account of those years, from joining the co-op as a young, pregnant woman, to raising free range kids, to being unceremoniously kicked out by fellow co-op members. Anyone interested in an eccentric slice of Manitoba history, in living off-grid, in connecting with the land on a spiritual level, in learning how to survive and thrive on very little money, in experiencing the intense joys of living in community, or in laughing a lot, should read this book.

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“… a fascinating, in-depth look at both the daily lives of the co-op dwellers and a bigger picture exploration of why some choose that lifestyle.” —The BookLife Prize

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Rain Ackerman is a massage therapist and award-winning photographer who lives in Winnipeg. Rudy Buller is a writer and lawyer living in Toronto.

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Contributors

Author

Rain Ackerman

Author

Rudy Buller