Earthen Heart Community Homestead

Bangor, Michigan, United States

  • Last updated: August 27, 2018 (2 seconds ago)
  • Listing created on: December 31, 2016

Mission Statement

Earthen Heart is an active community homestead focused on reducing our ecological footprint while increasing our quality of life. We are a skill-sharing community with ongoing learning and production of our own food, energy and entertainment. In this way we reduce our income needs and need for outside resources; but continue to integrate with the local and regional community in order to not become reclusive.

Community Description

Earthen Heart is a 20 acres parcel in Southwest Michigan. It is being developed as an Eco-Habitat with permaculture principles. The main home is a renovated old farm house with 3 bedrooms. The main house also has shared community community space for meals, showers, laundry, Internet and phone, yoga space, grid-connection etc. There are several outbuildings and space for trailers, campers, campsites for tents or earthen buildings, etc. which are used by visitors and long term members on the property.

After 7 years, Phase II of Earthen Heart has begun in 2018! We will be offering short term stays through Air B&B in order to generate income to fund the management of the property and ongoing development. We are also looking for qualified and financially stable individuals to consider a more long term stay as well. That is why we continue to list here.

The Earthen Heart goal is to create a lean rural alternative where we live more simply and reduce our consumption levels but increase our quality of life. We strive to generate more of our own food, housing, art and energy on-site in a skill sharing educational growing community. We have walking perennial food and medicine trails and gardens, blueberry patch, garlic and onions, potatoes, corn, fruit and nuts, many greens, asparagus, strawberries, etc. Generally there are some domestic and farm animals around such as chickens, goats, dogs, cats.

About

  • Type(s): Shared Housing, Cohouseholding, or Coliving (multiple individuals sharing a dwelling)
  • Programs & Activities: Organization, Resource, or Network, WWOOF’ing, Guest Farming
  • Location: Rural

Housing

  • Status: We have land we have developed on
  • Area: 20 acres
  • Current Residence Types: Room(s) in a house or building, Yurt, tee-pee, dome, treehouse, or tent, Mobile homes, RV’s, converted buses
  • Current Number of Residences: 4
  • Planned number of residences: 5
  • Planned Residence Types: Tiny house, Yurt, tee-pee, dome, treehouse, or tent, Natural built structues
  • Housing Provided: Rental, Work-exchange
  • Land owned by: Individual community member(s)
  • Additional Comments:

    We are asking for a modest co-use fee as well as several hours per week of community work. There is a one month maximum trial period after during which the visitor may leave on their own accord or be asked to leave. The co-use fee will be refunded in a pro-rated fashion if the month is terminated early unless damages have been incurred.

Membership

  • Adult Members: 4
  • Child Members: 2
  • Non-member Residents: 3
  • Percent Women: 31-40%
  • Percent Men: 41-49%
  • Percent Transgender: 1-10%
  • Visitors accepted: Yes, rarely
  • Visitor Process:

    Please fill out survey at http://earthenheart.com/survey/
    then email in advance [email protected] or phone (269) 447-1355

  • Open to new Members: Yes
  • Membership Process:

    First please fill out survey @ http://earthenheart.com/survey/
    then email [email protected] or call (269) 4247-1355

  • Additional Comments:

    We are looking for people who can commit time and resources to building this place and nurturing each other. There is a one month trial period during which point you may be asked to leave at any time or may choose to do so yourself. This will be a time to show your ability to work and commit to the community. Then a longer stay may be considered, and, eventually, co-ownership.

Government

  • Decision Making: We communicate our truth. We meet when something comes up that cannot be addressed individually.
  • Identified Leader: Yes
  • Leadership Core Group: Yes
  • Additional Comments:

    Julian Lauzzana holds the deed on this 20 acre parcel. He pay the bills, taxes, insurance… and has been here since 2010. That said, there is a goal to collectively own this property and, in the meantime, to conduct ourselves as if the land is ours together. Visitors should align with the Earthen Heart vision and direction, but of course we will all have individual differences which ideally will help the whole project to achieve greater depth.

Economics

  • Join Fee: $125
  • Dues, Fees, or Shared Expenses: Yes
  • Regular Fee per Month: $125
  • Shared Income: None
  • Required Labor Contribution per Week: 5
  • Open to members with existing debt: Yes (some debt)
  • Additional Comments:

    We currently ask a $125 co-use fee per month and 5 hours of community work per week

Sustainability Practices

  • Energy Infrastructure: We use both systems.
  • Current renewable energy generation: Up to 25%
  • Energy sources: Solar, wood and hydronic heat
  • Planned renewable energy generation: Almost All, around 90%
  • Current food produced: Up to 25%
  • Planned food produced: Almost All, around 90%
  • Food produced locally: Between 26-49%

Lifestyle

  • Common Facilities: Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Library, Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Outdoor Kitchen, Tractor & Farm Equipment, Stage or Auditorium, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Internet, Kitchen, dining area, land for earth building, tent
  • Internet Available: Yes, both the community and individuals provide it
  • Internet Fast?: Yes, it’s fine.
  • Cell Phone Service: Good for some people.
  • Shared meals: About once a week
  • Dietary Practice: Omnivorous (plants and animals), Paleo (no grains, dairy, processed foods, or legumes), Local (food sourced within 150 miles), Organic (no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers), GMO Free (only non-genetically modified organisms), Vegetarian Only (no animal meat; dairy and eggs okay) – Please check this only if you are 100% Vegetarian, Mostly Vegetarian, Vegan Only (plants only, no animal products) – Please check this only if you are 100% Vegan., Mostly Vegan, Opportunivore (dumpster diving, nature harvesting, etc.), Raw or Mostly Raw, Kosher, Halal, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free
  • Dietary Choice or Restrictions: No – people may eat however they wish.
  • Special Diets OK: Sometimes
  • Alcohol Use: Yes, used seldomly, or ceremoniously.
  • Tobacco Use: Yes, used seldomly, or ceremoniously.
  • Common Spiritual Practice(s): Not a particularly spiritual or religious community
  • Spiritual Practice Expected?: No
  • Education Style(s): Up to each family or individual
  • Healthcare Options: Up to each family or individual
  • Additional Comments:

    People should come with some source of income or savings. There is a potential to generate income here or at nearby farms but that is certainly not a guarantee and will take some time to establish. We do not have the capacity to take on individuals with heavy addiction or trauma concerns, so please be clear about that and be ready to work on it as an individual first and within your own means. This community cannot take that on effectively.

Additional Comments

We are an active homestead and need people to be ready to work and participate in the homestead economy: tending gardens, cooking and cleaning, construction, etc. We also need to have some financial assistance through a co-use fee that is well below market rate for housing.

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Keywords

community homestead, ecovillage, michigan, bangor, kalamazoo, garlic, blueberries, EarthenHeart