Chapter 16: On-air Off Grid

 Going on air with 2 Kids Off Grid

When we first arrived in Halifax I scanned the local radio stations looking for something worth listening to and came across a community radio station that played a variety of cool shows with a great line up of music. I loved hearing the local news and promotion of events ranging from farmer's markets to music festivals. When I got back to my computer, I looked up the CoveFM and found that they were looking for community hosts for their lineup. 

Fun Fact: The CoveFM is the radio station featured in the popular CBC show Moonshine.

My interest was immediately peaked. Since leaving Ontario, I had been tuned in to the CBC news, hearing tidbits here and there about how substantial the migration east had been. Once I had joined some of the local farming and off grid Facebook groups, it really became apparent that Tyler and I were not alone in our quest to live this type of life. 

I mentioned this passing interest to Tyler, and after a discussion determined that I should be putting my focus at that time on the project at hand, buying land and getting settled so we were comfortable for the winter. 

Once November hit and we were more-or-less settled for the winter, I reached out to the station manager, Jaimie Dominey, to learn more about what hosting a show would entail. My motivation stemmed primarily from wanting to highlight this very relevant migration east as it didn't seem to be getting the news coverage that was warranted and due to the pandemic it probably would take a back seat until our collective impact started to affect statistics.

Building Community and Providing Resources

Since we've gotten here, I have been actively searching out other people to befriend and learn from since we are new to the province and are lacking a local support system. I am so grateful to the many people we have met so far because they have really made a difference in our lives, whether its through offering their friendship or their expertise. I am acutely aware that I am exceptionally outgoing, so not everyone who moves here is going to be comfortable doing the same thing. 

So this show is partly for our new neighbors, people who might listen to the CoveFM and be interested in this portion of the population who has chosen to come from away and walk the road less traveled. For those on the road, I hope to share some of their stories through on-site interviews to highlight their new businesses or share their stories. We will also talk with some of the major programs and public resources that are in Nova Scotia that you might want to know about to make your journey a little easier. 

Episode 1

If you're reading this, there is a fair chance you've been following along on our journey over the past eleven months to get to where we are now. So in our first episode on air, we are going to delve more into the themes that are present in our life that brought us here. 

You can tune in to our first show today at noon on 88.7 CoveFM in the south shore area, or you can stream it online on Spotify.

 I also get the luxury of featuring music each show, so today's focus is highlight two great Canadian acts. The first song, Thirty, by the Weather Station, is a real testament to the unusual experience that we young people have right now trying to move into adulthood. The second song, Chains, by E.P. Lepp really speaks to me about throwing off whatever it is in your life that is holding you back. Thematically, these two songs really amplify our process in taking that first step towards the type of life we always dreamed of. 

Thanks for reading 2 Kids Off-Grid! Next week we will be talking with the wonderful working women Kelly, Kim and Teryn to hear about their journey from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia to run a rural business for International Women's Day. Subscribe to get new chapters weekly by signing up for our newsletter below.