The Project
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During the turbulent 1960s and 70s, rural Nova Scotia became a popular choice for many young, urban North American hippies, would be homesteaders and draft dodgers. The so-called “back to the landers” were motivated by a mixture of youthful idealism, counterculture values, antiwar politics and dreams of an idyllic, independent life in the country. Attracted by its remote location, undeveloped countryside, affordable land and helpful neighbors, they came to every part of rural Nova Scotia. Many soon left, unprepared for the challenges of sustainable rural living. Others adapted and managed over the years to build successful and impactful lives in their local communities. Like most immigrants, they brought with them new ideas and practices such as organic gardening, different arts and crafts, alternative energy, environmentalism, and a host of new enterprises. Their presence made a real difference. Fifty years later their unique & unusual migration story remained untold.
​ So, in 2020, photographer and filmmaker Peter Murphy and his brother Chris Murphy, a retired Dalhousie sociology professor who had been involved with the back to the land community in Antigonish decided it was time to document this missing chapter in Nova Scotia’s recent history. Starting locally, they began filming lengthy interviews with some of the remaining back-to-the-landers scattered throughout the province. When they had completed more than fifty interviews, they felt they had enough material to try and tell the story. After a challenging five years self-funded research project they were able to produce an illustrated social history book with a companion video documentary. Far Out! The Untold story of the 60s Inspired “Back to the Land” Migration that Changed Nova Scotia was published in October 2024, authored by Chris Murphy with design & photography by Peter Murphy and cover art & original sketches by Anna Syperek. Peter also produced a short companion video that brings to life many of the people and places in the book and a short documentary "Dennis and Lori-Back to the Landers".(see video page)
The book’s release was publicized in interviews on CBC radio, articles in local newspapers and presentations in a series of well attended public readings in venues throughout the province. The public response to the book’s rich personal stories, period photographs, and sketches was enthusiastic. Far Out! is available for sale
on our website - backtotheland.ca and in selected bookstores throughout the province. ​
Brief BIOs
Chris Murphy (PhD)
I’m a retired sociologist who grew up in Antigonish in the 1960s and attended university there. I briefly went back to the land but found it easier to go back to university (University of Toronto) which led to a lengthy career as an academic at Dalhousie University. Over the years I remained in touch with Antigonish and my brother Peter. We often talked about doing a project together on the local back to the land community. So when I retired I jumped at the opportunity to collaboratively document in film and text the story of this interesting group of people. The people and stories we collected throughout the province were so compelling I decided they deserved an in-depth exploration in a book. To this end I took creative writing courses in the University of King’s College’s Masters of Creative Nonfiction program. The result is a book that is a creative and illustrated mix of local and social history, some “sociology lite”, a personal and collective memoir, and an unusual migration story.
Peter Murphy (SeaBright Productions)
I started out as a photographer, exhibiting my B&W photos of rural life in Nova Scotia and exhibiting my work in various galleries across Eastern Canada and at the National Film Board in Ottawa. As well, I experimented with historic photographic processes, including photogravure and wet plate collodion tintype photography. Eventually I formed my own independent video production company, SeaBright, and apart from numerous commissioned projects, I’ve made ten nationally broadcast documentary films on Celtic music and culture and seen on CBC TV, Bravo TV, and the Knowledge Network. Together with Anna Syperek, we built our home and raised our family overlooking St. Georges Bay near Antigonish.
Anna Syperek (Artist)
After two years studying fine art at York University in Toronto in the late 60s, I met Peter Murphy, who persuaded me to move to his hometown in Nova Scotia and live in an old farmhouse, where I spent a lot of time painting and drawing. Those were wild and fascinating days and many of the sketches in the book were done at that time. Later, I finished my degree at NSCAD in print making, and a number of galleries throughout the Maritimes started representing me.. Drawing, painting, and etching have always been a way for me to make sense of the world. I see so intimately when I paint and have come to love the beauty of the ordinary world around me. In fact, I see how extra-ordinary it really is. annasyperek.ca