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Come and learn about a non-profit forest sanctuary in the Sierra Foothills, California, USA

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: 1 week or less

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    This is a rural, intentional community sanctuary and since 2019 is under the care of an Oakland, California-based nonprofit. It is an urban farm and educational center, an intentional community, and an experiment in faith-based activism, nonviolence, and restorative justice.
    We are located in a remote area in the Sierra Nevada foothills, in Central Sierra Miwuk lands. Surrounded by vast areas of wildlands, we have frequent encounters with a rich diversity of non-human kin, ranging from the smallest of organisms to large ones such as bear and cougar. We are currently building the foundation of our relationship to this place by learning how to harmonize ourselves with the ones who have already been living here in the form of human, plant, animal and elemental beings. Life here can be rugged at times. Examples include rural roads, social isolation, water and/or power limitations, being snowed in, chopping wood for wood stove heating, and living with fire hazard. Except for satellite internet and a landline, we are off-grid. Currently there are three adults and one newborn living full time on the land, two part-timers, and plenty of visitors and beautiful extended community members coming often.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Help with Eco Projects
    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Animal Care
    Farmstay help
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    General Maintenance
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Among our residents, we can guide experiential learning in the following topics, and likely much more...

    * Wildfire fuels reduction
    * Food, water, shelter and medicine sovereignty
    * Carpentry & natural building
    * Permaculture
    * Seasonal food preparation and preservation
    *Ritual for building meaningful relationship with the seasons, land, water, human & non-human beings, and elements we share this home with
    * Nonviolence, community council, restorative justice

  • Help

    Help

    We are delighted to be in the phase of land tending where we are ready to create more space and facilities for the village we envision living in harmony with this land. We are especially excited to welcome workaway'ers who have or are interested in developing carpentry and natural building skills as well as folks with children or who enjoy being with children!

    Some of the tasks we welcome support in include:

    * Forest tending, fuels reduction, fire wood preparation and harvesting for milling wood
    * Many building projects are our current priority, including a community gathering space, outdoor kitchen, outdoor shower/bathhouse, garden arbor, solar battery house and two small homes!
    * Straw bale and cob building of various structures
    * Various seasonal gardening tasks (this is very minimal in the winter months)
    * Animal tending - cows (one milking mama, her babe & papa), chickens, cats

  • Languages

    Languages spoken
    English: Fluent
    Spanish: Intermediate

    This host offers a language exchange
    We are happy to support English learning, especially from Spanish as a native language, as we always seek to improve our Spanish as well.

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    We have one bedroom for guests in the main house. One has a Queen bed and the other has 2 twins. This includes access to a bathroom, shower and our shared kitchen. During warm/clear weather, we encourage outdoor sleeping, as that's what we do from about April to October. You'll be provided with a basic pantry of dry goods and all the fresh seasonal vegetables. When possible, we ask guests to bring any personal snacks you may enjoy. We generally share 2 full meals/day. This collaboration is most enjoyable and easeful on us all when we share the cooking and cleaning up along with other projects that we'll be teaming up on. We gather with the neighboring farm community about once/week for potlucks, music, etc which you'd be welcome to join.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    This is a very rural sanctuary on 120 acres, nearby extensive public forest land, which can be endlessly explored. We have a pond about an acre in size where we spend a lot of time staying cool in the summer. We are about a 40 minute drive in any direction from local amenities, so we mostly enjoy the expansive space, exquisite silence and each other.
    We stay pretty active, but not stressed, as we really value the quality of connection in our tasks. Evenings are often spent hand crafting and enjoying good meals.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Can host digital nomads

    Can host digital nomads

    We have a small office space with two desks and fast internet. When Kait works online she needs privacy to work 1-1 with clients, which is only about 5 hours/week. Otherwise, you'd be welcome to share the office space anytime.

  • Space for parking camper vans

    Space for parking camper vans

    We have one hook up spot for propane and water for a camper, and many more level, shady spots where you could park if self-contained. They range from right up near the house, to further off in the woods if you prefer more space and quiet.

  • Can possibly accept pets

    Can possibly accept pets

    We have two cows, one livestock guardian dog in training and we have free range chickens and cats, so any dogs or cats would have to get along with all of them. I suppose a caged animal would also be possible.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week

Host ref number: 124662992146

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