Sask Ecovillage or Land Share

I've mentioned this elsewhere, but wanted to start my own thread on the topic. I'm interested sharing rural land with people of similar values and interests. Permaculture, organics, sustainability, natural building, off grid power, cooperation, etc. "Ecovillage" might best describe what I'm after, though I like the option of residences being more spread out on the land for those who want this, so it may be more like adjacent acreages with like-minded and  somewhat inter-dependent neighbours. But there can also be more of a "village" proper, too.

I prefer to pursue this with people with a spiritual approach life. A minimum is open-mindedness and tolerance for spirituality. So, this would rule out certain atheists and also religious fundamentalists. My own beliefs might best be described as "eastern" - Buddhist, etc. Yet, I appreciate all sincere approaches to "inner life".

My preference is to locate within an hour or two of Saskatoon or Prince Albert, but I'm open to other locations, even out of province. I'm looking for a quiet, natural, spacious place, preferably with some woods and some fields, and near water, like a river, though again I'm flexible on all this. We can discuss options for size, co-owning (ie: land trust), leasing, etc.

I also think that besides being good practices always, permaculture, greater self-sufficiency, etc, are greatly needed as we head into difficult times. I see many things tanking or operating very inadequately in society on the road ahead. We have built fragile, unsustainable systems and are destroying the Earth. The shift to a green economy and away from a suicidal one is happening at a snail's pace, instead of rapidly as it should. Note that this isn't even an emphasized issue in the current federal election. People are worried about short term gains and missing the bigger picture, in my opinion. Yes, immediate finances are important, but the problem is that this is where the focus is, instead of on the big picture. So, we'll suffer greatly in this country and around the world and it will take a while to rebuild.  So I think we best create better places to live where we can survive and be more comfortable. For some decades, perhaps. Until, others join us in such thinking and it becomes commonplace...

I currently live on a farm near Saskatoon.

Share your ideas here, or contact me at hjb39@hotmail.com

You might want to check out Craik Ecovillage in Craik SK. Might be what you're looking for. Visited them a few years ago when they were just getting started.

Thanks. I haven't been, but am aware of them. Looked at their website and know one or two people there.  I think they have some good things going. But I'm looking for something more rural, as in not beside a town or a highway.  Otherwise, I'd be more interested. But it's on my list to at least visit soon. Perhaps during one of their workshops.

I know what you mean. We're just starting to explore permaculture and we have a very fertile 2 acre piece of land with some tree cover but it's only 1/8 mile off the #1 highway. Not exactly secluded. Access is a plus but it's not the  ideal tranquil oasis. Everything is a tradeoff I guess. For now we'll bloom where we are planted.

No doubt you have considered your options, such as trading or selling for something further away. Where are you located?

We're about 8 minutes west of Brandon on the edge of Kemnay, a cluster of 25 +- homes. It's a ready-made market if we get into small scale market gardening or free range laying hens. We've got a friend that's a beekeeper so we're hoping to get a hive this spring to try it out too. Too many directions we could go. How do you narrow it down?
Hopefully we can make it out to the Forest gardening workshop this summer at Ness Creek.

Yes, there are trade offs.

As you probably know, bale houses are known for excellent sound insulation.

"Forest Gardening" sounds interesting.  I'll have to look into that.  Here, acreage prices are currently astronomical by my standards.  Even elsewhere in the province they can be high, due to our current boom.  But I think we are on the edge of hard times, so I predict a plummet in land prices.  Perhaps that's when I'll buy.  I prefer more trees, etc, as I mentioned, so moving some distance form this location, probably northward, might be in the cards.

I'm not familiar with the Brandon area, other than passing through it.

Good that you have ready markets.

Sometimes I think the right ghost town might make a good basis for developing an ecovillage, but I haven't encountered any which struck me as ideal, not that I've been actively hunting for them.

The right abandoned farmyard, possibly with some good buildings still on it and other features (ie: good perimeter trees, a well, a barn...) might be better.

I'm sure SK has it's share of small ghost towns too, but there's one about an hour north of us that might fit the bill. Elphinstone is on the south side of Riding Mountain National Park in a really nice little river valley (the Little Saskatchewan River actually). I looked at a little old house on a 2 acre lot in town for $5000.00. Granted, the house was a "rustic" 2 storey with an outhouse but it could have been perfect for the right person.  Lots of old Ukranians who still garden old-school. They're so out of touch that they have become cutting edge.

Hmm, sounds interesting.

The thought of being around old knowledgeable, practical folks is also appealing.

Old buildings can be retrofitted with straw bale walls, or at least some are suitable for this.  The old house you described might work in this regard.  That is, if they aren't getting conventional building code happy there, too.  Grrrrrrrrrr....