Southern Oregon forest land looking for community

Hi Permies,

This ad could go in multiple forums (and you might find it elsewhere).

I have an off-grid property in southern Oregon, (Ashland/Medford area) that I am looking to create a learning center on. I have specific dreams of what that may ultimately look like but I am also open to beginning with what is available. Ultimately, there is so much potential and I know that everyone has their own sets of skills and interests to bring to the table, we can really begin anywhere.

Ideally, this would involve folks taking up residence but could begin as a venue for individual classes/workshops. Due to local regulations, residences would need to be temporary (think school bus/ yurt/ tiny home), or small (under 200sf) without permanent  plumbing or electricity for the time being. There are currently a few such options available but it would be great to develop others with some natural building techniques (cob/ local timber framing) to be implemented and offered to the surrounding community to participate in through said classes/workshops.

Like I said, the possibilities are endless so if you are interested in participating and getting involved, reach out and tell me a bit about how you see your involvement and what you have to bring to the table. Are you looking to learn? Are you able to teach? What skills and interests do you have?

And truly, all skills are welcome. From homesteading arts, wild crafting, “primitive” skills, energy systems, water management, landscape design, food production, regenerative practices, forestry, community development, personal development and care, fundraising, organizational leadership. The list goes on and on.

Thanks for reading. I look forward to hearing from you. If interested, I can share more specifics about the land and opportunities as I see them.

Peace

Hi! My name is Cate (29) and I have been looking for conscious community. I am teacher of healing and meditation! I love nature and natural living. I am looking to put on workshops that connect people to themselves and nature, that also teach people how to self heal. I have been looking for land to put an off grid yurt, but want to be near or within conscious community! I am doing an Oregon tour in May to look for intentional communities and conscious towns to live near. I would love to see what you are creating!

-------------This goes as a reply to this post and for other intentional communities or (?) who may be reading!------
Thanks and Be Well

Hi Cate,
I’ll be around in May. Make sure to look me up. It would be great to connect and discuss how our visions may support each other’s. If you’re not familiar with Ashland, look it up. There’s a lot of cool stuff going on around here.
-Leaf

Hi Leaf,
My first post here. Just discovered this site and it looks like a great resource.

A little about me and why I'm interested in connecting with you.  I'm 31.  Have a BA in Elementary Education and MA in Science Education.  For the last 3 years I've been teaching and substitute teaching in public schools in Pennsylvania, New York, and now Hawaii. Currently teach 4th grade here on Molokai.

I'm passionate about teaching, but have a fundamentally different idea about what constitutes effective human education than the public school system allows for.  Also want to live as part of an intentional community of some form and participate in cultivating the land and living among nature.  Whether that entails developing a community, or joining an existing one, that has yet to be seen.  

My skillset is mostly oriented towards organization, technology, academics, logistics, community building, etc.  I have pretty limited handyman skills, but I am eager to learn and work in any role.

I'd love to talk and hear more about your long-term vision.

Cheers,
Tim

Leaf Bailey wrote:Hi Permies,


I have an off-grid property in southern Oregon, (Ashland/Medford area) that I am looking to create a learning center on. I have specific dreams of what that may ultimately look like but I am also open to beginning with what is available. Ultimately, there is so much potential and I know that everyone has their own sets of skills and interests to bring to the table, we can really begin anywhere.


Peace

Hi Leaf,
My partner and I are seeking an intentional community to join. I have all sorts of hands-on skills (plumbing/irrigation, basic carpentry, natural building, alternate energy, etc) and have been wanting to teach workshops. We are currently on a permaculture homestead in Upstate NY but want to move west this summer.
I had my heart set on Oregon but up till now we hadn't found a suitable community there. Let me know if you want to chat more.

Hi Leaf, great to hear what you are doing! I would also like to invite you to join the Wild Rivers Permaculture Guild. The founding members are mostly based in the Crescent City-Brookings Area west of you, but we have several people from inland (Grants Pass, Big Flat, Low Divide). It would be great to extend our network your way, and collaborate on projects, outreach, education, and bulk purchases when possible. Barring cancellation due to the Covid scare, our next meeting will be April 6th in Brookings. More info is on the Wild Rivers Permaculture Guild FB page (FB is just how this regional community seems to communicate, not meaning to give it any positive pub).

Good luck with your projects and hope to meet you sometime!

Hi everyone, it’s great to hear from you all. I don’t seem to be getting notified about your replies so if you want to expedite this process, send me a Purple Mooseage  Those seem to get to me quickly.

Ben,
Thanks for the heads up about the permaculture guild. I’ll check it out. I’m not on the FB but maybe I need to start a page. Anyone out there want to help this Luddite with process?

It seems like we all may be forced into missing gatherings for a while but I’ll try to make the one in April if I can.

You should put in a request for a zoning change. As long as it is uncontested you usually can get it changed.

Lisa Stanleyson wrote:You should put in a request for a zoning change. As long as it is uncontested you usually can get it changed.

- rezone to what? And for what purpose?

Hello from the mid-Willamette Valley! I'd love to hear more about your progress and your vision for the 80 acres you're on. I just returned here from the Western Slope of Colorado where I was working at a 40-acre Retreat Center as the Wellness & Permaculture Director. I have been looking for land for several years to settle on in Oregon. My intention is similar to yours - to open a land-based educational and micro-business operation with the restoration of the land being front and center on the agenda. It would be great to chat with you if you have some time! Thanks, and good harvest to you. You can email me directly at AntigoneAllena@gmail.com

Cate Sam Legate wrote:Hi! My name is Cate (29) and I have been looking for conscious community. I am teacher of healing and meditation! I love nature and natural living. I am looking to put on workshops that connect people to themselves and nature, that also teach people how to self heal. I have been looking for land to put an off grid yurt, but want to be near or within conscious community! I am doing an Oregon tour in May to look for intentional communities and conscious towns to live near. I would love to see what you are creating!

-------------This goes as a reply to this post and for other intentional communities or (?) who may be reading!------
Thanks and Be Well

Hi Cate, did you land somewhere? I'm looking to build a community ( purple permaculture) have a healing retreat center be a major part of it. A place where people can come to reconnect with nature. They will learn to grow food, eat well, have teachers/ healers of may modalities, yoga as well. A place to heal the mind, body and spirit. Opal.althoff@gmail.com  please contact me.....and anyone else called to this idea. Love and light.

I just wanted to reach out to all those that have contributed to this thread and to those who may find it for the first time. The property is still here and available. Progress is moving in the right direction but still looking for folks to come and participate in the process of “developing” infrastructure. So many possibilities.

Hi Leaf,

My name is Ally and my partner, Guisepi and myself are living in Washington and are interested in living in community. We both come with a lot of skills as he is a builder, wood-worker and Tinkerer to name a few and I am all about care for plants, animals, planet and people, and I consider the kitchen a creative studio where lots of food magic can come alive. We both have traveled all over the country participating in a lot of community building projects all over and have been looking for a place to focus that energy more long-term. We are planning a trip to Southern Oregon in May/June and would love to connect, see the land and discuss what you're looking for, etc. Is there a way we can contact you via email? I didn't see one in this thread. You can also contact us at welcomehomesteadsji@gmail.com I hope this finds it's way to you so we can meet. Thanks!

Hi Ally,
Sounds great. Keep me posted as your plans develop and let’s plan to meet down here.