The Elder Tree

  • Community
  • 2 followers

About the Community

  • Forming
  • Rural

What we do

The Elder Tree is a not-for profit, non-government organisation with a core vision to empower people through grassroots herbal education and earth skills. In 2022 The Elder Tree will be purchasing land to build a herbal education centre and healing sanctuary somewhere in Australia- mostl likely in Northern NSW or SE QLD.

The Elder Tree will offer:

– Medicinal botanical gardens
– Treatment rooms for herbalists, naturopaths, and other healing modalities
– Free/affordable healthcare for low income earners
– Many zones that are available for hire for functions and events that align with the core vision
– Regular ongoing workshops, classes and courses in natural medicine
– A temple space for ceremonies and circles
– Extensive herbal gardens and a herbal nursery
– A herbal apothecary and medicine making space
– Regular gatherings, retreats, markets and other events
– Small cabins for hire for those attending retreats
– Camping facilities
– A primitive skills school
– A herbal dispensary

There will be cottage businesses operating from the space, though all income generated by The Elder Tree is not-for-profit.

The Elder Tree will have a medicinal botanical garden, home to hundreds of medicinal plant species including native and rare plants. This will assist in securing the future availability of plants for healing in Australia.

Environmental impact:

Every step of the way will be done with consideration for environmental impact. We will have a zero tolerance policy for toxic substances and destructive chemicals. There will be a strong focus on sourcing and supplying materials and food locally and organically.

The Elder Tree will be self sufficient in many ways. We will have bee hives for honey and beeswax, fruit and nut trees, vegetable garden and of course, extensive medicinal herb nursery and gardens. We will harvest our own water from the earth, we will eventually be fully powered by renewable energy sources. We will promote custodianship and care for the earth, with full respects to and involvement with local indigenous folk.

Classes/Courses/Workshops:

At The Elder Tree, there will be the following education (and much more):

– Herbal self sufficiency- how to grow and harvest herbal medicine
– Primitive skills- tanning, survival skills, wild plant identification etc
– Making herbal medicine
– Energetic/spiritual connection with the plants
– Ceremonies- eg cacao ceremonies
– Dance and music events
– An annual plant medicine national gathering
– Ongoing natural building workshops
– Other earth-based skills and natural lifestyle workshops eg. fermentation, food, etc

We will bring in herbal educators and life skills educators from around Australia, though we will always value local knowledge first.
There will be the opportunity for those attending these workshops etc to camp on the land or rent small cabins. There will also be the opportunity to have ‘herbalists in residence’ and ongoing residential apprenticeships.

Who is this for?
The Elder Tree will be a place for people of all ages and all walks of life. We see it particularly suited for:

– Post-grad university students who have done their herbalism and naturopathy degrees, and want to integrate the teachings with hands on experience with the plants
– Those who want to connect to plant medicine from seed, to harvest, to medicinal preparations
– Those wanting practical earth skills
– Those seeking to connect with a community that is centred around plant medicine
– Anyone seeking to deepen their connection to and knowledge of the earth and all her virtues

Our Vision

Our slogan is “Putting the medicine in the hands of the people”. Our mission is to empower people to connect deeper with themselves and their environment, and empower them through education and by providing a safe, nurturing and healing environment.

Our Mission

Our slogan is “Putting the medicine in the hands of the people”. Our mission is to empower people to connect deeper with themselves and their environment, and empower them through education and by providing a safe, nurturing and healing environment.

  • Activities
  • Education

Gallery

  • 26 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
  • Open to volunteers
Total
26

Basic expectations or agreements for members

Please get in touch:
[email protected]

Primary decision-making authority

  • Small Leadership Group

A few people (not elected by the broader community) make the major decisions.

Governance structure

  • Founder/Leader-led

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

Economic model

  • Independent Finances

Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • 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

Labor required: 4 hours/week
Members with pre-existing debt: Yes (some debt)

Substance use culture

  • Substance use occurs primarily at celebrations or ceremonies

Reviews

Location

  • NSW, Australia

The Elder Tree

Promoted Needs and Offers

Need
Need
Need
  • Communities with Openings
10 months ago

Seeking Couples Interested in Long Term Deep Connection & Farming (open to singles)

Description Our  sloped and terraced community farm has far more potential than we have time and energy to use to the fullest. We have been in community for 15 years now, but feeling pulled to the deeper nourishment we find in long-term residents over shorter-term interns.  We seek one to two couples (or super aligned singles) who are interested in conscious connection, intimate conversation, personal growth and healing, regenerative agriculture, and serious about a building a life in community.  Although we hold space and flexibility for shifts in needs, we desire humans who plan to stay for all or part of a season (1-3 months at a minimum), after which we would explore longer-term alignment and relationships.  We MAY also be open to folks wanting to live off-site, as long as we prioritize ample time to explore how we work together before we get too deep. Current Use Heart 2 Heart Farms is a small, forested, 10 acre Permaculture farm nestled in the fertile hills of the Willamette Valley. Between the quaint towns of Newberg and Sherwood, this oasis is in the middle of wine country, just 30 minutes south of Portland, has been an intentional community and teaching facility for over 15 years, hosting a myriad of community outreach, up-cycling, homesteading, and prepping workshops.  Although we have recently slowed substantially, residents should be prepared for both a busy environment, and shared, informal, mixed-use spaces. We are almost completely self-sufficient, producing large varieties of heirloom fruits and vegetables, and we breed, butcher, and sometimes sell heritage chickens, turkeys, rabbits, pigs, goats, sheep, and cattle. We tan hides, carve bone, save seed, occasionally blow glass, throw pottery, create alternative/green energy, dig root cellars, and build constantly. We have three large un/under-utilized areas available: The front hill is a terraced and amended south-facing slope that has LOTS of room and potential. We also have a poultry pasture is 2 acres of partially wooded Douglas Fir, an additional 4 acres of wooded mixed use browsing space and native habitat that’s virtually unused at the moment, two large greenhouses (including one set up aquaponically), and lots of space to expand the orchard and rotational grazing system. Additionally, we have a 20’x40′ healing center and sacred space we use for yoga, massage, reiki, ceremony (including traditional Lakota sweat lodge and grief/trauma work), and make available to local practitioners to offer their services to the community. If you are wanting to connect deeply, work hard, learn and expand your experience base, and participate in a small but established intentional community, shoot us a note and let’s explore. Owner’s Short Term Vision for the Property Our short-term goal is to find/train a few young/new farmers to assist with land stewardship and increase productivity of the existing space to spread out the work/responsibility and assist in overall streamlining and cleanup of the existing farm/operations. Owner’s Long Term Vision for the Property Our long-term vision is to continue to use this space as a teaching and educational facility, expanding the diversity and frequency of events we can host and services we can offer. Over the next few years, we hope to find an a couple interested in learning/independently managing most of the farm production, which will allow us to dig deeper into the training and certification we make available, to include natural building, basic and advanced Permaculture technique and application, beekeeping, horticulture, animal husbandry, food preservation, fermentation, plant identification/natural foraging, and primitive skills. Available Water / Irrigation Extensive rainwater collection on site, as well as a high-flow/capacity well. Soil Type / Quality Sandy loam with great organic matter, good clay content, and established vermiculture and mycorrhizal network. Buildings and Structures Available for Farm Use We have multiple barns and greenhouse space for use, or lease, depending on the particulars of use/situation. Farm Equipment Available for Use We have a skid steer on site, as well as rototiller, chipper, 26′ truck, and pickup trucks for use. Hand tools are also available, depending on the arrangement. Any Restrictions That Could Limit Agricultural Production Creating and supporting natural borders, food forests, and wildlife habitat (and incorporating these into a holistic/natural pest management strategy) is a very high priority to us, so intensive mono-crop/large machine harvesting and/or crops needing spraying/chemicals are not likely a fit on this site. County: Washington Total Acreage: 10 Acreage Available to Landseeker: 5 Current Farming Practices: Organic, Not Certified, Biodynamic, Dry Farming, Season Extension Farming Practices Allowed: Certified Organic, Organic, Not Certified, Biodynamic, Dry Farming, Season Extension Agriculture Types Suitable: Beans, Bees, Berries, Dairy, Fiber Animals, Flowers, Goats, Herbs, Hogs, Mushrooms, Nursery Stock, Nuts, Orchard/Fruit, Pasture, Poultry, Rabbits, Sheep, Vegetables, Vineyard, Other
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