When Sylviane and her partner exchanged an apartment in downtown Montreal for a rickety farmhouse on 85 neglected acres in Eastern Ontario, their hearts were full of the same dreams as all naïve back-to-the-landers.

As they reclaimed their unco-operative fields, grew organic vegetables and participated in their new community, Sylviane quickly understood that, only an hour's drive from the nation's capital, there lives an entirely different Canada!

This collection of 53 witty, fast-moving vignettes covers everything from mystery septic tanks to burning buses, home renovation and ballroom dancing. But mostly, it's about life, about people, about finding great pleasure in small successes.

Sylviane demonstrates that adventure, albeit on a small scale, is still at hand for those who care to find it.

Glowing Reviews!

Mandatory reading for anyone dreaming of the good life in the country. Learning to farm by trial and error, Duval provides an imaginative account of small scale agriculture in Canada.

Tom Manley, former Deputy Leader, Green Party of Canada, and organic farming activist

Duval tells of her efforts at organic market gardening with wry, self-deprecating humour and a touch of nostalgia for the old days.

Rebecca Ridsdale-Rees, Editor-in-Chief, Organic Earth Magazine

Sylviane Duval brilliantly conveys how comfortable she is astride the rural and urban worlds. What an enjoyable read!

An absolutely delightful chronicle of a city girl coming to terms with the complexities of rural life.

Rosemary Rutley, Author, Voices from the Lost Villages