Couple’s off-grid living on Nordic island II: preparing for winter at 63° N
At 63° North, life on a small Finnish island brings long winters, frozen lakes, and a rhythm deeply tied to nature. In this second part of our visit with Klaus and Johanna, we explore how they navigate the challenges—and joys—of island life through the coldest months.
Winter brings periods when the lake is impassable—too frozen for a boat, not yet strong enough for skis or snowmobiles—leaving them temporarily trapped on the island. To prepare, they grow and store much of their own food. At this latitude, only certain vegetables and four types of fruit will thrive, so they start seedlings indoors and carefully tend their garden through the short growing season.
We see how they embrace winter activities like ice-skating and skiing across the frozen lake, and how they built their own sauna—where Johanna even considered giving birth. (In the end, their son was born in a local hospital.)
They also reveal the underground root cellar they discovered two years after moving to the island, and the two tiny houses Klaus built in his first years on the island—early experiments that helped him learn the skills he uses today.
Throughout, Klaus and Johanna reflect on self-sufficiency as a slow, ongoing process. Leaving behind their conventional lives has brought them closer to nature: every act—from growing food to crossing the lake—connects them to a more primal and grounded way of living.
Credit to : Kirsten Dirksen
