Homestead Heirloom Gardens and Ecovillage

Many are struggling with a challenging economy, a growing sense of loneliness and a housing market that seems impossible to break into. Intentional communal living can offer more opportunity, stability and financial freedom than most realize. These small, self-reliant communities have a central focus on reducing their carbon footprint, minimizing resource consumption and instilling food sovereignty by implementing communal subsistence and regenerative farming practices. The emphasis is more on ecocentric living* than on material recognition or monetary gain. By returning to an agrarian based lifestyle*, we strive to live within the natural balance of nature, not in opposition to it. Homestead Heirloom Gardens and Ecovillage is an off-grid, self-reliant community of individuals who have come together, and dedicated their lives to, simple communal living, the preservation of rare, medicinal and indigenous cultivars, and the reskilling of the lost and forgotten practices of traditional homestead living. We are seeking those of like mind an vision, to live simply and in community, to leave the smallest carbon footprint as possible, and to not only save, but to restore the diversity and the integrity of our heritage foods and forgotten life skills and practices. Homestead Heirloom Gardens now has Wwoofing and work trade residency positions available. Heavily rooted in deep ecology* and ecocentric* concepts and philosophies, we are seeking those with a background or profound interest in syntropic permaculture, agroforestry food production, heirloom subsistence farming* and simple communal living. Furnished apartments and cabins, all vegetarian* meals, utilities, essential items, toiletries, laundry and community closet are all provided. Work trade only. No costs, fees or contracts required. Long term/permanent residency possible. Plant based, holistic, alcohol and tobacco free communal living! Our daily community activities and current projects include: GARDENING & GROUNDS KEEPING. Zone 9 subtropical gardening with emphasis on closed loop, organic, heirloom, vegetable and herb farming. Indigenous food crops and cultivars, seed saving, grafting, plant propagating, permaculture, open pit bio-char, food forest maintenance, medicinal plant cultivation and subsistence communal and regenerative farming. Must enjoy weeding! VILLAGE CHEF. Dirt to dinner, open fire, cast iron, vegetarian based*, primitive and solar cooking. Food preservation, canning, jams and jellies, fermentation and kombucha. Brick oven artisan gluten based and sourdough bread baking, facaccias and hand thrown pizza. Cooks for 6-8 people using garden grown vegetables and basic staples. All vegetarian* meals are in common. On cooler nights, all evening meals are prepared and cooked in our outdoor kitchen over open fire. Many meals are prepared with wildcrafted or indigenous cultivars underutilized in western diets. Extremely selective or restrictive diets cannot be accommodated. Must be able to process gluten. CONSTRUCTION and MAINTENANCE. Focus on basic carpentry, plumbing, hand tools, wells, irrigation, electrical, auto mechanics and general troubleshooting. Maintenance of aquaponics systems, off-grid solar systems, cisterns, chicken coops, chain saw, wood splitting, painting, general labor and grounds maintenance. DOMESTICS and HOUSEKEEPING. General housekeeping of common areas, community kitchen, dishes, laundry room and bathrooms. All living areas, private and common, are to be maintained neat and tidy at all times. FIBER ARTS. Saxony wheel spinning (cotton and hemp), 4 harness and tri-loom weaving and treadle sewing machine operation. Able to re-purpose thrift store materials into hobo bags, patch work blankets and clothing. Tri-loom hand weaving is our specialty. HERBALIST/SOAP MAKER. Cold process, solar infused, vegetable based, medicinal herbal soap and salves. “Herbalist” means YOU grow all herbs used in the products produced on site. Our reskilling, vocational and practical skills training include: Wood working and carpentry, plumbing, wells, cisterns, water catchment, and irrigation systems, electrical systems, off-grid and micro-grid solar systems, passive solar water heaters, full service auto mechanics (from general maintenance to major engine overhaul), small engine repair, welding, metal fabrication and more! Of special note. This is a forest based community. We also maintain a bat sanctuary which houses 1000’s of bats. Abundant forest wildlife, animals, birds and reptiles are deeply appreciated, abundant and ever present here. Additionally, wifi is available here, but continual cell phone or internet use is HIGHLY discouraged. Location: West Central Florida. For serious inquiries or more details, click the links below for more information on residency positions and availability. https://www.ic.org/directory/homestead-heirloom-gardens/ We also have Wwoofing opportunities available for those interested. https://wwoofusa.org/en/host/26078