Soul Fire Forest is an emerging, village-scale homestead and learning community in West Michigan rooted in interdependence, shared skills, and imperfect collaboration. We practice low-energy living, appropriate technology, land stewardship, and culture-repair through hands-on experimentation such as biochar, rocket stoves, natural building, shared meals, art, music, and seasonal work. Alongside daily life on the land, we host workshops, weekend skill-share gatherings, and community events that invite people to learn by doing and teaching each other. We also offer limited camping spots so folks can try on community in small, low-pressure bursts rather than making big commitments all at once. Rather than aiming for total self-sufficiency or ideological purity, we focus on resilience through relationship, starting before conditions are ideal and building systems that are human-scaled and adaptable. Soul Fire Forest is both a home and a commons, part land-based project and part education hub, where people come to remember how to build, tend, and belong together.
Who We’re a Good Fit For
Soul Fire Forest is a good fit for people who are curious, collaborative, and willing to learn out loud. Folks who value shared meals, shared work, and shared responsibility tend to feel at home here. We resonate with people interested in appropriate technology, permaculture, natural building, skill-sharing, and community as real infrastructure rather than an abstract idea. This space is especially supportive for those who want to explore community gradually through workshops, weekend events, or camping stays before considering deeper involvement. We are building to accommodate more families.
Who We’re Not a Good Fit For
We are probably not a good fit for people seeking a finished or highly structured commune, instant housing, or a fully self-sufficient off-grid setup. We are also not aligned with rigid ideologies, perfectionism, or savior-style leadership. While we enjoy fun, music, and celebration, Soul Fire Forest is not a party-centric space. Substances and late-night intensity are kept in moderation so the land, relationships, and nervous systems can stay well regulated. This is an evolving project that values process over polish and relationships over efficiency, so if you are looking for a high-energy festival environment or minimal interpersonal responsibility, this may not be the right container.
Our Mission:
We will create this by working together on projects around permaculture and land care, conscious parenting, meeting our needs generally, re-claiming rites of passage, sustainable building, re-imagining technology solutions, holistic health and herbs for wellness, education and outreach, hosting local barter events, supporting the wider local community, closing the loop and getting resources from our property or as local as possible, practicing individual sovereignty while supporting others in their sovereignty, supporting vulnerable people, and experiencing an egalitarian economic system. Together we will survive whatever the future holds while co-creating and living in the more beautiful world our hearts know is possible.
Trial Period
A trial period is one year, and in that time one will participate in weekly meetings (but will not have the power to break consensus,) communal chores, and work hours. At three and six months full members will have an evaluation to see if the trial will continue, and if continued, will have another evaluation at one year, and will then vote using consensus to either extend the trial period another three months and have another evaluation, or accept the member in as a full member/buy in member, or ask the member to leave the community. There is a $25 application fee, and before beginning a trial period one will send a copy of an identification card for the background check, will fill out the Questionnaire provided, and will participate in coming to help with 3 Project Days to make sure we all work well together. These days can be separate or consecutive.
Please feel free to send us an email with any questions and we will figure out the next steps, or reserve a spot on HipCamp!
A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.
Everyone must agree before moving forward.
Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.
Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.
Labor: Yes (15 hrs/week)
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed
All of these numbers depend on certain factors, please reach out to discuss forward.
Countryside locations with significant distance from urban centers.
Integrated communities designed around ecological principles with sustainable living practices.
A residential project: people live here as their primary home.
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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