https://www.bee-folk.org/path-to-membership/index.php

Established community seeks permanent members/co-owners to help realize our vision of a collaborative learning center focused on sense of place awareness, homesteading/permaculture skills, and the “art of doing community”.

We are a homestead of five currently, two of us being co-owners/permanent members and three as short-term lease holders. We are situated three miles north of Carson, WA near the Columbia River Gorge. Our land borders Panther Creek, a stone’s throw from the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The land we call home is of the occupied traditional territories and harvesting areas of the Wishram, Yakama, and Chinook people. In relation to urban centers, it’s a 55 minute drive from Portland, 10 minutes from Stevenson, 25 minutes from White Salmon, and 30 from Hood River.

The 3.1 acres of field and forest we inhabit includes a 2800 square feet, 4 bedroom, 2 bath house, as well as a tiny house, a wood/metal shop, ceramics space, barn, storage shed, composting toilet, chickens & ducks, bees, cat, herb & food gardens, fruit & nut orchards and a berry patch. There is a meadery (honey wine production facility) on the land, with opportunities for part time employment of community members. We compost food scraps and recycle/reuse as much as we can. Panther creek is accessible for dips and we have a couple of short forest walking trails. Locally there are many trails, waterfalls, lakes, rivers, lava beds, caves, and cultural activities to be found in the surrounding national forest and throughout the Gorge.

We share many aspects of life—a weekly meal or two, house meetings once a week, chores and commons maintenance, occasional shared group activities, and limited gatherings, ceremonies and celebrations. Some of us work together for the meadery. We’ve set up a “guild system” which uses sociocratic governance to help manage the many practical facets of infrastructure maintenance and land tenure within the community spaces. We also have our own lives which are diverse and requiring of some sanctuary and personal space. We value good communication and respectful interaction. Our kitchen, dining room, living room, bathrooms, laundry room, shop space, gardens, and barn are shared by all. There are two wood stoves in the house and one in the shop which require participation by everyone to procure and process firewood. We also host worktraders and mentees and ask for participation in hosting and collaborating by all community members with these guests.

We have a non-profit organization which focuses on sense-of-place awareness and collaborative learning in a community context. This project will regularly bring folks to the community for mentoring, workshops, meetings, and other activities that will require use of some of the common areas. We are seeking new and long-term members for our community who are fundamentally inspired by our vision of a place-based collaborative learning center, and who are willing to regularly put in time and effort to participate in the many aspects of developing an organization around this vision. As of now our organization is volunteer run. We hope for future opportunities of part-time and perhaps full-time employment of some community members in this endeavor.

We have developed a “pathway to membership” document that you can view here. It is important for anyone interested in exploring the opportunity to live with us to fully understand the steps and stages, rights and responsibilities as they are laid out in the pathway document. This is the foundation for all agreements and opportunities that await anyone inspired by our vision and interested in exploring long-term participation, permanent membership, and co-ownership in our community. As well, we ask all applicants to view our supporting documentation using the links in the menu, which will outline our mission, vision, principles, and strategic plan for ongoing community and non-profit development.

We consider our land and community a safe space, and welcome people of any gender identity, sexual orientation, color, religion, class, origin, or species. We also consider it a sanctuary space and do our best to honor and respect the many other kin that call this place home with us. We are but guests in the homelands of many who have been here much longer.

If after reading this and viewing our supporting documentation you would like to know more or apply for a short residency at the community to explore compatibility, please get in touch by emailing:

housemates@bee-folk.org