Permaculture Help Offered... Work/Trade?

Hey everybody! I grew up in Michigan and I've been gone for quite awhile. I spent six years in the Navy, which is why I left Michigan to being with and the next two years (leading up to right now) I've spent in Sustainable Living/Permaculture communities, mostly on the Western half of the United States. My best friend is getting married this summer and I thought I'd come back to Michigan for the summer to spend time with old friends and family and see what Permaculture and Sustainable Living is like over here.

So, I'm looking for some place to spend my energy in order to improve land and livelihoods. I have some experience in a lot of different areas of sustainable living including:

Gardening and Vegetable Production
Natural Building
Permaculture Design (I'm even certified)
Renewable Energy Systems
Blacksmithing
Community Cooking
Baking
Animal Care (including chickens, goats, llamas, horses, etc)

And I'm not afraid to learn about other projects that you might have. I also have a variety of Transitional Living skills

Welding
Farm Tool/Equipment Repair
Electrical and Electronic Troubleshooting/Repair
Woodworking
Computer Experience, Troubleshooting and Repair
Greenhouse Building

I'm willing to spend a long period of time on a farm and help out with several projects or just pop in and help out for a week or two. I'm fairly mobile right now and I wouldn't necessarily need much provided for me. At the very least, I would need a place to pitch a tent, a toilet and a place to shower on occasion.


I know there isn't often a lot of money to go around on Permaculture farms and I'm certainly willing to come up with a work/trade situation (that's right, I'll work for FREE!). Of course, I do need money as well and I have ideas for making it on my own (legally)... mostly baking, crafting or harvesting Wild Edibles. In any case I would need time to do all of these things and I'll offer around 20 hours of work in exchange for letting me live on your land (and maybe use your oven). This is all negotiable, but if you'd like me to work 40+ hours I would expect a stipend to cover living expenses.

If you're interested in my help, please contact me and I'm sure we can work something out. (Especially if you live around Ann Arbor or the great Detroit area).

Thanks a lot for reading this whole thing.

Hi Kevin,

We have an open invitation in Northern, lower peninsula, Michigan.

We are moving there now, it is our first season! (Very exciting)

Perhaps stop by and see if it is a good fit. Any questions / more details available if you are interested.

Check it out:
https://permies.com/t/23376/projects/Cornerstone-Homestead-Alliance

Thanks, Good luck!

Hey Chris, thanks for sharing! It looks like the kind of place that I'd be interested for sure. What kind of projects are you planning on doing this summer?

Hey, so it's our first week here, camping in the yurt. A beautiful wood burning oven is giving us some great use for cooking and warmth. It's quite an adventure.

Projects going on; soon we will be harvesting ramps which are growing in abundance, hunting for morrel mushrooms, and hopefully finding some local restaurants that are interested.

We are Preparing/designing garden beds, and starting seedlings.

A bit later this season we are building a good size rocket mass heater in the earth lodge.

These are just a few of the main projects going on this season, more projects keep popping up! If you can dream it, you can do it.

Our goal is to live as sustainable as possible, so any way we can use resources on or around our campsite is of immense value. Any knowledge or skills you can bring in regards to this is well appreciated. Any experience hunting or foraging? We would love to learn more about what you have to offer and your intentions.

Thanks and many blessings
Chris

I am moving to Klickitat county Washington in August & would LOVE to chat with anyone who lives in the area or who would like to organize in & around that area... Projectperfectdayz@gmx.com

I will not & do NOT want to be an intern as fees to become one are complete bs in my opinion... If what is happening on the "farm" or whatever is NOT producing enough for food & lodging for the extra help the why bother joining up with ANOTHER corporate structure!

BUT, if indeed there are any WHOLESOME people that feel that money is no object then let me have it!