Wilderness Mother

A Memoir of 13 Years Off the Grid

By: Deanna Barnhardt Kawatski

Narrated by: Deanna Barnhardt Kawatski

Revised and updated 30th anniversary edition of the wilderness classic of raising a young family in the remote wilds of northern Canada.

In 1978 Deanna met her hermit husband in Northern BC while she was working as a forestry lookout attendant. For the next thirteen years she led the life of a pioneering mother in the wilderness. Over a hundred miles from the nearest paved road and cut off from most contact with the outside world, Deanna and her husband Jay built a life and raised their children in the stunning beauty and staggering isolation of the Ningunsaw Valley.

She describes the family's remarkable self-sufficiency in constructing their home, growing and harvesting their own food and eventually building a small dam to generate electricity. But the unrelenting work of a pioneer life is balanced with her deep love and connection to the natural world that surrounds them. Deanna has been a naturalist her whole life and nature breathes as a character in each of her books.

This new edition includes chapters that expand on her relationship with Jay, his mental health challenges, and the break-up of their marriage. Thirty years ago, these subjects were less discussed, but in this new edition, Deanna candidly addresses the personal challenges they faced in their marriage.

©2025 Deanna Barnhardt Kawatski (P)2026 Audible, Inc.