The Barley Jar - Urban Ecovillage and Spiritual Community

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Ecological
  • Urban

Founding year

  • 2004

What we do

The Barley Jar is an evolving Plum Village inspired permaculture training and practice centre where we are learning and practicing to live harmoniously with each other and the natural world. We aim to do this to the utmost degree possible. The community is a research and development laboratory striving to achieve the deepest level of social, spiritual and environmental permaculture based on the Plum Village Tradition and the best available science.
Our desire is to be the change we want to see in the world.
The tradition of Plum Village and Thich Nhat Hanh is a non-denominational spiritual tradition open to individuals of any persuasion ranging from atheist to Catholic, Muslim, Jewish or similar. This tradition focuses on mindfulness in daily life. Though they arise from a Buddhist vision for a global spirituality and ethic, it’s practices are nonsectarian, and their nature is universal.
We will give preference to individuals who are interested in training and deepening their practice at the Barley Jar and ultimately becoming longer term stable members of our community. We are also open to shorter term guests. Currently our community is typically comprised of 2-3 long term members and 3-4 shorter to medium term guests.
Training and deepening practice is possible through a program of courses and activities being developed at the Barley Jar with which residents and broader community members can deepen their practice of permaculture and the Plum Village and Barley Jar traditions. These also include reading and study groups and participation in local retreats and practice opportunities.
We share meals/cooking, groceries, cleaning/chores, music/art/ideas, joint parties, community dinners, collective space and household items, a mixture of privacy and community,…We have positive shared values / enthusiasm for sustainable transportation (bikes, no cars owned), local organic, vegetarian/vegan, natural materials (plastic free), fair trade …inclusion and diversity are highly valued and desired e.g. no labels / all ages / all abilities / queer-positive / all backgrounds / all social (including marginalized) groups etc.
Our house is medium to large, we really like having people around as well as having a balance of privacy, we like having guests.Our members positively contribute to our community and to the network of similar homes that we are a part of.
Physically: We live in a century home at the north end of Brunswick Ave, the house has 6 bedrooms. There are lots of shared spaces – a kitchen, 2 bathrooms, sunroom, dining room, living room, patio-deck, garden. We generally have 6-8 housemates including couples and kids…
Our members tend to be community activists, social change agents, artists and farmers.
We host:
– community wide sunday dinners once a month (last sunday of the month – potluck optional with a music jam) all are welcome
– workshops (anything and everything – politics, art, sustainability, social justice)
– music and art events (house concerts, readings and the like)
– guests from all over
Community Healing:
– The Barley Jar is engaged in an exploratory healing journey which is making available a room for anyone seeking habitation in Toronto who might want to live and practice with us. The space is reserved for those who have been without a home for long periods of time ….ask for more from any of our members…

Our Mission

Ecological, spiritual and social sustainability and permaculture.

  • Purpose
  • Ecological
  • Community type
  • Ecovillage
  • Commune
  • Spiritual Retreat Centers
  • Sustainability practices
  • Permaculture design
  • Activities
  • Education
  • Experiences
  • Others

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 2004
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 2008
  • Started living together

Video

  • 3 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
3

How to join

We are in a period of frequent turnover so members are frequently coming and going. We only consider inquiries about membership from those who have guested with us for a month and then left. Our membership process includes the one month guest stay, essay type questions and an interview.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Contact us! Interested guests are asked to participate in the community as members with respect to our various intentions. We ask that visitors participate in contributing to food for longer stays and those who stay two weeks or longer are generally asked to share rent in some way with the collective.

Primary decision-making authority

  • Single Leader or Founding Couple

One person or partnership has ultimate authority.

Decision-making process

  • Leadership Decides

A single person, couple, or small group makes most major decisions.

Governance structure

  • Founder/Leader-led

Primary authority rests with the community’s founder(s) or designated leader(s).

Conflict resolution approach

We have a house coordinator who is the point person for the house.
Individuals are invited to levels of membership by members with deeper levels of community membership. Depth of membership is based on observed commitment, interest and involvement in the community and to supporting the intentions and traditions of the community. Decision making and responsibility grows with level of commitment and depth of membership. Decisions are generally made in a friendly collegial way reflecting the friendship that we share.
Most or all decision are generally made by consensus unless they involve the building itself, these decisions are made by the owning member in consultation with the rest of the membership.

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: $634
Labor: Yes (4 hrs/week)
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed
All members have chores and weekly cooking amounting to about 4 hours/week.
We contribute to a common bulk items and food pot that we all draw from to pay for food and bulk items. The monthly amount includes rent, utilities and food.
The average monthly contribution is $640. This covers costs for the room and all utilities (heating, water, phone, internet, losses etc.). Food costs are on average an additional $180. This comes to about $2 per meal. This is further adjusted to each individual according to how much they consume on average. Therefore the total for room, utilities and food is about $814 per month on average. The amount varies depending on the size of room that individuals live in. In addition to ongoing operating costs, the contribution pays for improvements to the house and infrastructure and growth of the community.

Vehicle accessibility

  • It would be difficult / impossible to live in this community without a car

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

Common House, Garden(s), Internet

Frequency of communal meals

  • 2-5 times per week

Dietary type

  • Vegan Only

Dietary restriction

  • These restrictions are throughout the community

Community activities and engagement

  • Transition Town (post-petroleum and off-grid communities.)
  • School, Educational Institute or Experience
  • Volunteer, Internship, or Apprenticeship, or WWOOF’ing

Substance use culture

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

Gender composition

  • Majority cis (over 60%)

Age demographics

  • Mixed adults (few or no children)

Guest Book

Written reviews are available for plus members. Click here to upgrade.

Location

  • Ontario, Canada

The Barley Jar - Urban Ecovillage and Spiritual Community

Needs and Offers

Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace

  • Promoted
Offer
  • Real Estate For Sale
1 week ago

Beautiful 3+ Bed, 2.5 Bath Townhome in Established West Emerald CoHousing, Seattle

A rare home is available at West Emerald Cohousing, an established all-ages intentional community in West Seattle. For those considering a move to the Pacific Northwest—or hoping to join a mature community rather than one still in the forming stages—West Emerald offers decades of community life, beautiful gardens, shared resources and a peaceful setting within the city in a convenient location since 1999. This unit has a unique floor plan that is ideal for co-buying, co-living, or for one household. The home itself offers a flexible 3+ bedroom, 2.5 bath layout: Garden-level room with a separate exterior entrance and half bath—ideal for a home office, studio, guest space or client-facing business Main-level bedroom and full bath, laundry, making one-level living possible Open great room with large windows overlooking gardens filled with birdsong Well-designed kitchen with generous storage and pantry Two additional light-filled spacious bedrooms and a full bath upstairs Thoughtfully maintained and updated Located at the end of a common pathway for added privacy and garden views, Just feet from parking, which is out of view West Emerald community amenities include: Common House with gathering and activity spaces Community meals and events Mature gardens and shared outdoor spaces Workshop/maker spaces and bike barn Exercise room EV charging opportunity Excellent Metro access to Downtown Seattle just minutes away Nestled into a dell, it’s Seattle’s best-kept secret South Seattle College and lifelong learning, NW Wine Academy, the Seattle Chinese Garden are nearby, with easy access to Alki Beach, Lincoln Park, magnet schools, ferries, and the shops and restaurants of the West Seattle Junction. 6000 17th Ave SW, Seattle, WA Is a wonderful opportunity to have your own comfortable, private home while becoming part of a vibrant and well-established Seattle all-ages cohousing community. For more information contact the friendly Realtor at 206-579-9066, or at ki**********@**********te.com who will be happy to meet you there or do a facetime tour.
  • Promoted
Offer
  • Communities with Openings
3 months ago

Do you feel called to help co-create a small, newly forming eco-spiritual community?

Old structures are crumbling. New ways of living are calling. We are answering that call. Wild Grace is an eco-spiritual community located in the Sierra foothills 30 minutes from Grass Valley, California. We recently completed new homes for those who feel called to our vision. Currently there are four of us living on this sacred 80 acres of land although we are a hub for an expanded neighborhood community. Many join us weekly for potlucks, expressive dance, Qi Gong, monthly musical gatherings, and seasonal celebrations in our temple, as well as tending to our orchard. We are excited to welcome others to join us on the land who are dedicating their lives to spiritual growth and ready to live in a more focused and intimate heart-centered lifestyle. Might that be you or someone you know? The fundamentals are simple. Spirit. We listen personally and collectively together most mornings, usually starting with a musical offering, a prayer, or a short reading, followed by about 40 minutes of what we call “sacred silence.” Heart Circles. About once a week we gather to share and listen. We are informed by authentic and compassionate communication practices. Nature. The land itself—an 80-acre oasis of field and forest perched above the wild and scenic South Yuba River—calls for our stewardship in the gardens, orchard, greenhouses, and general care. In turn, nature feeds us abundantly, both literally and spiritually. Interbeing. We join with others to share inspiration and connection as we host monthly gatherings of song, story and prayer that draws from the larger community in addition to other events we share with our closer neighbors. As we attend to these fundamentals, Grace flows to and through us—often in “Wild” or unexpected ways. Grace catalyzes through us, but is not something we possess. Because we all are connected, we feel that Grace actively transforms n
Offer
  • Communities with Openings
3 days ago

Housing Co-op in Berkeley, CA has two member openings for 1-bedroom units

Parker Street Cooperative (PSC) – a co-owned housing co-op in Berkeley – has two openings for 1-bedroom units for new prospective members! THE APPLICATION DEADLINE IS 11:59PM ON NOV 1ST, 2026 You can find the application on our website at parkerstcoop.org Our monthly assessment for a 1-bedroom will likely be just $675 (compared with average rent of about $2,400 for a 1-bedroom in Berkeley). This covers all our shared costs. This is a great opportunity to become a fellow co-owner at a very affordable cost and secure long-term low-cost housing with a co-op community in a fantastic location in Berkeley! The current  share price for a 1-bedroom membership is about $30,600 (which is a small fraction of market rates and entirely refunded/sold back with nominal interest if a member leaves the co-op) ONE-TIME CAPITAL CONTRIBUTION FEE Lastly, if admitted, becoming a member also requires a one-time, nonrefundable $6,000 Capital Contribution Fee, which helps sustain the co-op property. For example, renovating a unit prior to move-in averages about $12,000.   CO-OP DETAILS PSC has 24 units in two buildings. We’re located in a highly convenient Berkeley location, fairly near the UC Berkeley campus, downtown, a bunch of grocery stores, Ashby Avenue, the Berkeley hills, two BART stations and other public transportation, and just two blocks west of Telegraph and two blocks south of Dwight.   The apartments have beautiful, nearly wall-to-wall windows in the living room, sizable windows in the bedroom and kitchen, hardwood floors, and original Art Deco kitchens and bathrooms. Shared spaces include common rooms, rooftop decks, beautiful though moderate garden spaces (17 fruiting plants!), high-quality fitness equipment, a very well-equipped maintenance room, bike/storage space, and a rear parking lot. MAKING IT POSSIBLE We co-own and manage the property and work together to help keep it very affordable for us and for those who come after us. For that reason, we need people who are excited and prepared to contribute substantial time, energy, and skills to the co-op, such as project leadership, budget management, facilitation, conflict mediation, administration and/or gardening. An ability to get along with a wide range of different people is also highly desirable, and prior co-op experience, or similar experience with cooperative or community-based living, is a plus. MAINTENANCE SKILLS — HIGHEST PRIORITY FOR THIS OPENING For these specific openings, substantial maintenance experience/skills are a major priority! 9-MONTH PROSPECTIVE TRIAL PERIOD The final two candidates selected after our interview process would first enter a 9-month fixed-term tenancy. As a tenant, the candidate would pay $1,675/month in rent, along with a $1,675 security deposit (which is either refunded or credited towards the share value). Near the end of the 9 months, the co-op will make a final decision about whether to offer the candidate admission as a co-op co-owner. CO-OP TOURS We’re planning to organize at least two tours of the co-op property in October before the application deadline. If you’d be interested in joining a tour, please contact us at pa***************************@***il.com and let us know. We don’t have openings that often, and each one is a special opportunity! Please feel free to share this opening with anyone who might be interested in being a new member for our community!
Offer
Offer
  • Communities with Openings
6 days ago

Unit C-2, Woodard Lane Cohousing — Olympia, WA

We are looking for renters and buyers who truly want to participate fully in a community living situation; to collaborate, share meals, attend meetings, share stewardship of our grounds and buildings, socialize, and share spaces including the Common House, guest rooms, tools, Center Green, vegetable garden, and more. Unit C2 is available for rent or for sale. Unit C2 Unit C2 has functioned as two units since its beginning. The lower level is currently occupied. It’s ideal if you desire ground floor ease of entry — as owner, you can live comfortably in half and rent out half. C2 For Rent (ground level) — $1,900/month Short term rental agreement with 90-day notice; includes utilities. Contact Kate Greene: yo******@***il.com or 360-789-7587 925 square feet One bedroom One bathroom Bonus room/office with loft bed Open kitchen, dining room, living room Deck view of forest Front yard garden C2 For Sale (entire unit) — $630,000 Contact Kate Greene: yo******@***il.com or 360-789-7587 1,904 square feet total (each level is 952 SF with a full kitchen and private entrance) 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a laundry room Ground floor entry with no steps Two back decks that face a wooded ravine The upstairs living space is an open kitchen, dining room, and living room The lower level has a full kitchen, two bedrooms, and a separate entry Upstairs has a large bedroom with closets, and a bonus room with a full-sized loft bed Monthly dues are currently $799.00, including all utilities (electricity, gas, water, sewer, garbage) plus a healthy contribution to the reserves fund See flyer for more details

Update to a Public Profile

  • Log in
  • Go to your profile page
  • Toggle on the "Add my profile to the directory"
  • Save your profile

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).

Plus Community Membership

  • Find people with Profile Match
  • Access to your community listing statistics
  • Create Discussion Groups
  • Access to our affiliate program
  • Member badge on your community profile
I am an official member of this community
Disclaimer
I affirm that my information is accurate and I am authorized to manage this listing
Foundation for Intentional Community FIC Member badge logo.

Free Plan

Free Membership
Free

Intentional Advertising

  • Subtotal

    {{ currencyFormat( pricing_summary.total_amount ) }}

Icon representing community connections and collaboration for intentional communities.

Plus Membership

We’re introducing new Plus features — including community reviews, Profile Match, and unlimited Needs & Offers posts — while keeping most of FIC free for everyone. Membership costs less than two coffees a month. 

  • Find communities with Profile Match
  • View detailed reviews about communities
  • Create free listings in Needs & Offers
  • Plus Member resources in CommUniversity
  • View communities detailed reviews
  • Plus Member badge on your profile