Aerial view of a community with green fields and multiple buildings surrounded by trees.

Herzfeld Sennrueti

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Ecological
  • Town/Small City

Founding year

  • 2006

What we do

The community is situated on the edge of Degersheim, a rural village in east Switzerland. It is made up of a lively group of approximately 60 adults and 30 children and teenagers. We have followed a holistic life concept since 2006. Key features include: ecological living, sustainable economy, social structures, spiritual practice in everyday life, art and culture, and integration into wider society. We honor the diversity of each individual, encouraging personal development and inner growing. We aspire to each individual finding and growing into their full potential.
We have a sociocratic organization structure and apply a customized decision making tool called “attunement”. This begins by sharing on a mental and emotional level, followed by a decision making group meditation. Here we access our intuitions and reach out to a higher wisdom, by opening ourselves to receiving information, visions, feelings and body sensations. By sharing these we find the conclusion in a natural way, resulting in collective clarity.
In order to create and maintain healthy relationships in increased consciousness we meet regularly. Some of the tools we use include: sharing circles, shadow work in triads, the Transformation Game, integral community training (Forum) and ho’oponopono. By following our intuition and experience we have also developed some own tools.
The integration of our children and youth is a crucial ongoing process. Our teenagers are now growing into the next generation of our community. We are trying to follow the concept of “all mothers and all fathers”: by growing up together there is a shared paternal feeling, resulting in collective nurturing of the younger generation. Children can easily relate to other adults in the community and some choose their ‘own grandparents’. We run integration days with lots of fun and games.
In 2009 we bought an empty sanatorium. We transformed the guest rooms to living spaces for singles, couples, families and groups. We used sustainable materials such as wood, straw, cork, wool, clay, sand and cellulose fibers. We also installed thermal and photovoltaic panels, which means we have more than enough to power the entire building with solar energy. Furthermore, rainwater is collected from the roofs and used for flushing toilets, washing machines and in the garden, thus reducing our water usage by 60%. Organic waste is collected and composted or used for making charcoal for the permaculture garden. We grow fruits and vegetables and are lucky to have organic farms nearby that can fulfill our additional needs all year round.
We try to do all practical work that is needed with care and love. We often celebrate life, all good things and ourselves.
Most members speak schweizerdeutsch (swiss german), but other languages are also spoken: dutch, english, french, german, italian, spanish and even esperanto
Specialty Areas:
– Arts & Culture
– Consensus/Decision Making
– Healing
– Ecological Living Practices
– Facilitation and Mediation
– Fundraising/Fundearning Skills
– Organic Agriculture
– Permaculture/Design
– Preventive Health Practices
– Renewable Technologies/Energy Management
– Retrofitting Existing Structures
– Spiritual practices
– Vegetarian/Vegan
– Waste Management

Our Mission

multi generation ecovillage

  • Purpose
  • Ecological
  • Community type
  • Ecovillage
  • Sustainability practices
  • Renewable energy systems
  • Water conservation and management
  • Permaculture design

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 2006
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 2009
  • Started living together
  • 42 Total members
  • Not open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
83

Basic expectations or agreements for members

contact form at www.sennrueti.ch

Decision-making process

  • Consent-Based (Sociocracy)

Decisions proceed unless someone has a reasoned objection.

Governance structure

  • Sociocratic/Circle-Based

Organized in circles or domains with distributed authority.

Economic model

  • Partial Income-Sharing

Members contribute a percentage of income to community funds.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • There is a one-time fee, investment, or share purchase to join the community separate from accessing housing
  • Members need to pay fees, dues, or similar to live there on a per month or per year basis
  • There is a labor obligation

Additional economic information

Join fee: Yes
Regular fees: Yes
Labor: Encouraged or suggested (4 hrs/week)
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed

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

Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Vehicle Share, Library, Workshop, Hot tub or hot springs, Outdoor Kitchen, Large Scale Kitchen, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Recreational vehicles, Gym or sports area, Internet

Frequency of communal meals

  • 2-5 times per week

Significant food acquisition practices

  • Locally sourced

Dietary restriction

  • People can cook and eat what they want in their own residence

Substance use culture

  • Substance use occurs primarily at celebrations or ceremonies

Gender composition

  • Majority cis (over 60%)

Age demographics

  • Family-focused (many children and parents)

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By a Land Trust, Home Owners Association, or corporation

Setting

  • Town/Small City

Smaller municipalities with local services but rural character.

Community type

  • Ecovillage

    Integrated communities designed around ecological principles with sustainable living practices.

Sustainability approach

  • Renewable energy systems
  • Water conservation and management
  • Permaculture design

Land practices in our community

  • The community practices permaculture

Self-produced energy

  • 33 - 66%

Energy sources used

  • Photovoltaic Solar
  • Biomass (from wood or other organic materials)

Self-produced food

  • Up to 33%

Local, organic, or fair trade food

  • 33 - 66%

Food systems

  • Community garden
  • Greenhouse / aquaponics

Source of water

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

Guest Book

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

Location

  • Switzerland, Switzerland

Herzfeld Sennrueti

Needs and Offers

Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace

  • Promoted
Need
  • Promoted
Offer
  • Promoted
  • Events
3 weeks ago

Healing Love Healing Money: Trust As The Foundation For A New Culture

Money, love and power are among the hardest things any community works with, and many of us carry the same fears into both: not having enough, losing what we have, and the sense that if someone else gets money or love, we won’t. Healing Love, Healing Money: Trust as the Foundation for a New Culture is taught by two intentional communities. Karen McAllister and Duncan Cryle are from Clear Sky Meditation and Retreat Center, a Buddhist-lineage community in the BC Rockies. Monika Alleweldt and Benjamin von Mendelssohn from Tamera Healing Biotope, a community of about 160 people in southern Portugal that has spent decades studying love, trust and relationship. Clear Sky has spent years working on its relationship with money, and our two communities found surprising parallels in the fears beneath both. Over four sessions we explore the roots of fear around money and belonging, love, possession and power, trust as infrastructure (community as a container for healing), and ethical livelihood. We use short meditations, body-based practices, reflection and small-group conversation. You do not need to be in a romantic relationship or live in community. When: October 27, Nov 3, 10, 17. All four sessions: 12–2pm Vancouver, 1–3pm Alberta, 7–9pm UK and Portugal, 8–10pm Central Europe. Note: US and some Canadian provinces change clocks on November 1, so the US west coast is 12–2pm on October 27, then 11am–1pm for the remaining sessions, and Eastern is 3–5pm on October 27, then 2–4pm for the rest. Cost: sliding scale Details and registration: https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/healing-love-healing-money-online/  
October 27, 2026 13:00 – November 17, 2026 15:00
Need
  • Communities with Openings
1 week ago

Needs: Quiet nature focused community with work exchange

About Me Hello, I’m Nanu. I’m 46 years old in need of a peaceful, nature-centered community where I can contribute, maintain my independence, and potentially establish a long-term home. I’m autistic and sometimes experience periods when I’m nonverbal. I appreciate direct communication, clear expectations, and people who respect different communication styles without making assumptions. I’m independent, value personal boundaries, and do best in environments where people can coexist comfortably without constant social interaction. The Environment I’m Seeking I’m looking for a wooded, green setting with mature trees, grass, and access to nature. Forests, trails, gardens, and peaceful outdoor spaces are important to me. I’d prefer a region with relatively mild winters, avoiding both desert landscapes and areas with harsh, snowy winters. Privacy is essential. I’m interested in a residential community where people respect one another’s space and participation in social activities is optional. I’m not looking for a retreat center, event venue, or community that regularly hosts outside groups, workshops, classes, or large gatherings on the residential property. Occasional visitors are understandable, but I prefer a quiet environment where residents can enjoy their homes without a constant flow of people coming and going. Work Exchange and Housing I’m interested in exchanging practical work for housing. Possible contributions include community gardening, planting, watering, harvesting, kitchen assistance, meal preparation, property upkeep, and other mutually agreed-upon tasks. I’d like the responsibilities, schedule, and expectations clearly established in advance. A trial stay or introductory period would be ideal so both sides can determine whether the arrangement is a good fit. Potential for Long-Term Ownership My longer-term goal is to explore purchasing a small home, a defined parcel of land, or a legally documented ownership interest in an established cooperative community. I have limited savings available for a potential investment and want to use those funds carefully toward lasting housing stability. I’m not interested in vague promises of future ownership or arrangements that depend entirely on one person’s continued involvement. I’d want clear documentation of ownership rights, decision-making, ongoing expenses, and what happens if a resident leaves or the community dissolves. I’m also not interested in traditional HOA-style arrangements or unpredictable fees. Reasonable, transparent shared expenses are open for discussion. Community Culture I’m looking for people who value mutual respect, personal autonomy, honest communication, and practical cooperation. I appreciate companionship but also need quiet and solitude. I don’t expect everyone to share my interests, only to respect one another’s boundaries. What I’d Like to Know If your community offers work exchange, a private and peaceful living environment, wooded surroundings, and a realistic possibility of long-term housing or ownership, I’d love to hear from you. Please share information about your location, climate, current residents, available housing, work-exchange expectations, visitor policies, ongoing costs, and potential ownership arrangements. I’d like to visit and get acquainted before making any commitments. My goal is to find a genuine mutual fit. Thank you for reading!

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

  • 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