'We feel a lot healthier': Pender Island couple experiments with living off land for full year
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it's that we can adapt when we have to.
An island couple decided to up the ante last summer when they moved to Pender Island, B.C. to take on the least convenient challenge you can imagine – and they're almost at the finish line.
In August 2020, Chris Hall and Stef Lowey decided to move to Pender Island to challenge themselves by only eating what they catch, grow, harvest or raise for an entire year.
The pair are proof that the answer to feeling healthier, doesn't come off of a store shelf.
"We feel a lot healthier," Hall said on Tuesday. "(Our) energy levels have balanced out, weird things like that, but it makes a difference. Clearer skin I think for both of us too."
Six months ago, CTV News checked up on them to see if they were doing OK. It turns out, they were thriving, and the same seems to be true now.
The pair has been sharing their journey with more than 30,000 YouTube subscribers, and have been showing what creative foods can be made in B.C., like coffee made from dandelion roots.
"I like sea asparagus more than normal asparagus," said Hall.
The couple has also been making dehydrated bladderwrack chips.
"They're not bad," said Lowey.
But, plenty of experiments also went sideways.
"Chris almost set fire to our deck trying to smoke some bacon," Lowey said.
The pair says their greenhouse was also destroyed during the winter.
"So that was a fail," said Lowey.
It's all part of the charm of living on the southern Gulf Island.
The pair's one-year challenge will finish on Aug. 2. The couple has a bottle of champagne ready that they've been saving for the occasion.
Lowey and Hall may also dip into some old favourite foods for a cheat meal a year in the making.
"I definitely still want pizza and hot wings. Maybe some tacos too," said Lowey.
As for getting back on the grid, the pair says they're still not sure what the future will look like.
"I don't think we'll ever go back to the way we were living," Hall said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Israel vows military operation 'in the very near future' following Hamas attack
Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering badly needed humanitarian aid for Gaza on Sunday after Hamas militants attacked it, reportedly wounding several Israelis, while the defense minister warned of "a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah and other places across all of Gaza."
B.C. man wants homes for thousands of books he soon won't be able to read
In the 10 years since John William started to lose his vision, he's been finding new ways to enjoy his vast personal library.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
William Shatner says he would consider 'Star Trek' return: 'Here comes Captain Kirk!'
The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.
Chemical spill could be cause of stinky water in Puslinch, Ont., new report says
People living in Puslinch, Ont. may have the answer to why their water smelled so bad last year.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.