Scenic view of community buildings with mountains in the background.

Dancing Rocks Community/Bean Tree Farm

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Social
  • Rural

Founding year

  • 1989

What we do

Dancing Rocks (DR) is a small residential community of 5 homes and work/study accommodations designed and developed over the last 35 years.

Located in the Tucson Mountain foothills, DR is also the home of Bean Tree Farm, a home business which creates value-added products from the edible and medicinal wild plants of the Sonoran Desert Food Forest, weaving food production, resource conservation, solar energy, water harvesting, green building, permaculture and creative arts in an evolving system and rich learning environment.

Bean Tree Farm collaborates with schools and organizations to provide hands-on educational experiences for students through presentations, workshops and other events. Current partners include Desert Harvesters, Arizona Homemade Artisans, Sonoran Permaculture Guild, Pima County Public Library and Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.

Info and applications are available on request for internships of six months or longer. Occasionally, longer term positions become available for dedicated individuals such as farm manager, site steward, educational project coordinator. Lodging is provided in exchange for work hours.

Currently, no homes are available for purchase.

Our Mission

Focus: aridland appropriate living, regenerative relationship with place, inspired by Sonoran Desert food and culture, personal responsibility and ethics.

  • Purpose
  • Social
  • Sustainability practices
  • Renewable energy systems
  • Water conservation and management
  • Regenerative agriculture or permaculture
  • Permaculture design
  • Activities
  • Education
  • Experiences
  • Networking

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 1989
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 1989
  • Started living together

Gallery

  • 5 Total members
  • Not open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
10

How to join

1 year trial period. or more.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Visitor opportunities by appointment, monthly at farm events by invitation. We can not accommodate drop-ins.

Primary decision-making authority

  • Single Leader or Founding Couple

One person or partnership has ultimate authority.

Decision-making process

  • Modified Consensus

Generally seek agreement, but have backup methods when consensus isn’t reached.

Governance structure

  • Collaborative/Horizontal

Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.

Economic model

  • Independent Finances

Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • Members need to pay fees, dues, or similar to live there on a per month or per year basis
  • There is a labor obligation
  • Members typically need to have their own job or other personal source of income to cover their expenses while living in the community?

Additional economic information

Regular fees: Yes
Labor: Encouraged or suggested
common maintenance as needed, 1-4 hrs/mo.

current contribution is $50/month for common space maintenance

Shared resources and amenities that are accessible to everyone in the community

Garden(s), Library, Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Fire pit

Frequency of communal meals

  • 1-3 times per month

Significant food acquisition practices

  • Locally sourced

Community activities and engagement

  • School, Educational Institute or Experience
  • Volunteer, Internship, or Apprenticeship, or WWOOF’ing
  • Organization, Resource, or Network

Substance use culture

  • Substance use appears in public spaces but no pressure
  • Substance use is prohibited in the community

Gender composition

  • Majority non-binary/gender diverse (over 30%)

Age demographics

  • Multi-generational (all ages well represented)

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By a single individual, couple, or Family Trust

Setting

  • Rural

Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.

Sustainability approach

  • Renewable energy systems
  • Water conservation and management
  • Regenerative agriculture or permaculture
  • Permaculture design

Land practices in our community

  • The community practices permaculture

Self-produced energy

  • Over 66%

Energy sources used

  • Photovoltaic Solar

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%

Local, organic, or fair trade food

  • 33 - 66%

Food systems

  • Community garden
  • Food forest

Source of water

  • Rainwater capture and storage for use (barrels, cisterns, etc.)
  • Land area size
    20 acres

Guest Book

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Location

  • Arizona, United States

Dancing Rocks Community/Bean Tree Farm

Needs and Offers

Connecting communities through an intentional online marketplace

  • Promoted
Offer
  • Promoted
Offer
  • Communities with Openings
7 months ago

Worktrade Opportunities on Big Island Hawaii

We are continuing our work-trade program at Bridge Hawaii for the right people on this beautiful 86-acre land located along the Hāmākua Coast. Ideally, we want to host those individuals who can help with the garden and who can support with build projects for up to a 3 month stay. This work-trade would include lodging, food staples, community kitchen, running hot water showers, off-grid electricity, and laundry. There is access to high speed wi-fi. We often have a car that can be reserved. We also have full bar signal strength with Verizon cellphone service. We have about 2 acres of permaculture garden that needs to be cared for including; weeding, planting, picking up mulch, some tree trimming, ect. We are currently in a building stage on the land. We have a few current grant projects we are working on and some build projects that are underway. We are an intentional community with about 8 permanent residents. There are rescue dairy cows, mini cows, mini donkeys, horses, a donkey, cats, dogs, and active bee hives. We are a drug and alcohol “free” space. A glass of wine or beer with dinner is fine, but absolutely no day drinking or parties. We have a meditation temple and many waterfall pools that are wonderful for swimming. Close to some of the nicest beaches on island. We have snorkeling gear and a kayak. Since this is an animal sanctuary, we limit the consumption of meat on the land. Fish, eggs, honey, and dairy are fine. Let me know if you’re interested by sending an email or text for our application. Maomi (801) 623-0738 ma***@*****************ii.com
  • Promoted
Offer
  • Housing For Rent + Shared
8 months ago

Home share available for sister/brother in Christ

I’m excited to be looking for Intentional Christ- based Community. I’d love to share my home with other family in Christ, and possibly share a weekly bible study and/or perhaps evening meals together. I’d enjoy coming up with creative ways to share the gospel and serve others in the local community together if you’re inclined and we each have the time. My 18 year old is out of the house now, but I haven’t yet taken new photos, so although his posters are in these pictures, his things have now been removed from the room with the exception of his bed, which can be switched out for yours if necessary. I’m open to drafting mutually agreeable rules, boundaries, and ways of handling any possible conflicts that may come up so they can be settled in a loving and respectful way as they arise. Some non-negotiable ground rules I have are no smoking, vaping, drinking, or drugs, including Marijuana. I prefer only godly programming and Christ-centered music, as I am very intentional about my spiritual environment. To test the waters, I’d be up for praying over the decision, a bible study over zoom, as well as an in person meal once or twice to get to know each other, with of course a tour of the house. Coming together to share how we feel led to proceed after that seems reasonable. I have a very large smart TV, internet, washer & dryer, large fenced yard with a fire pit, and a shed for storing outdoor items. I am open to drafting a lease for either 6 months or a year. My thoughts were $700/month with trash, water, electric, and internet all inclusive. Happy community hunting, I hope to hear from you soon, and God bless! 💜🌈🥰✝️

Information

Communities

A residential project: people live here as their primary home.

Organizations

An institution, business, network, or project that isn’t a residence (e.g. a learning center, farm, or network with no one living there full-time).

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