White Buffalo Farm Ecovillage :: Communities Directory

Re-Forming Established: 1974

This page last updated:2/2/2013

White Buffalo Farm Ecovillage

Paonia, Colorado,

United States

White Buffalo Farm is one of Colorado's oldest organic farms and a virtual paradise of fruit trees nestled in the foothills of the West Elk Wilderness, yet is an easy bike ride to Paonia. The farm is traversed by the North Fork of the Gunnison River and two irrigation ditches. The farm is USDA certified organic and its founders pioneers in the organics movement.

Established in 1974, the farm's founder has years of experience growing food and community. White Buffalo Farm is evolving with the times. We are ready to engage wonderful new trends in organics, slow food, sustainability, slow money and relocalization.

Our plans include: 1) a farm-based ecovillage with affordable homesites for individuals wishing to take part in a farm-based livelihood; 2) farm-based micro-enterprises like value-added products and a farm-to-table restaurant for travelers and locals; 3) investment in new crops and farm management technologies for our CSA and other farm operations.

If you are would like to explore living on the farm, please consider coming to the farm as an intern, apprentice or in a “staff” position. For 2013, we seek a kitchen manager, an entrepreneurial farm-to-table micro-enterprise developer, a vegetable farmer and a fruit farmer plus crew leaders. For more details, check out http://www.growfood.org/farm/293

The farm is home to thousands of fruit trees, several acres of vegetables and three high tunnel greenhouses. We grow cherries, European and Asian plum, peaches, d'Anjou and Asian pears, and apples. We grow tomatoes, squash, greens and a wide variety of other herbs and vegetables for our CSA. We also raise laying hens, guinea hens, turkeys and peacocks. WBF sells wholesale to the Front Range, direct at Farmers Markets and thru our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).

Our core values are strengthening organic family farms, growing food for others, eating holistically and locally, placing goodness before money, faith in Spirit/God/Universe, being kind to the earth and ourselves, living in gratitude, being service-oriented, honoring creativity and art, honoring equity, demonstrating tolerance and enacting non cooperation as ahimsa.

Growing food is healing, rewarding and feels great! It's a great time to become part of White Buffalo Farm!

Status: Evolving and expanding

Website: http://www.whitebuffalofarm.org

Contact:

Wayne Talmage
16877 Grange Rd
Paonia, Colorado 81428 United States
Phone: 970-275-2076

Links:

http://www.facebook.com/WhiteBuffaloFarm

View Map of Locations
for this Community

This page last updated:2/2/2013

Visitors Accepted

(we are a farm-based community. we would like visitors to engage the farm work while here and not just be spectators.)

Visitor Process: Call Wayne to arrange a visit.please email request-we are very busy farming.please give us time for a thoughtful reply.

Affiliations: WindSpirit Community

:: The Farm

:: Lama Foundation

Network Affiliations:

Ecovillage Network of the Americas

:: Fellowship for Intentional Community

Statement of Housing Non-discrimination:

Our community does not discriminate in regards to housing based on race/color, national origin, religion, sex/gender, family status (i.e. having children, not having children, or being pregnant), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, ancestry, source of income, age, creed, personal appearance, political affiliation, HIV infection, military/veteran status, unfavorable military discharge, gender identity or expression, receiving public assistance, or being the victim of domestic abuse.

Housing in our community is incidental to employment and therefore fair housing laws do not apply (though employment discrimination laws may).

Population Members(adults and children): 7 (evolving and growing) Non-member Residents: 10 (Interns, Apprentices and WWoofers. This varies by season of the growing cycle.) Open to new members: Yes (Join us in co-creating sustainability on a working farm with plenty of water in Colorado!)	Government Decision Making: By the community leader (This is a working farm; we teach interns about farming. Regarding community life, we use participatory consensus in day-to-day activities. We encourage healthy organizational patterns and stewardship of the common areas and the land. We create enough structure and set healthy norms based on what has worked well and seems to be working well with those on the farm at the time.) Identified Leader: Yes (Wayne is the remaining co-founder of the farm.) Leadership Core Group: Yes (Together we are all leaders in focalizing beneficial communication to coordinate activities on the farm.)	Labor and Money Financial Style: Partial income sharing (Farming is the main source of livelihood. For interns and volunteers, housing and meals are provided in exchange for work towards the viability of the farm operation. We are growing and offer homesites to individuals with entrepreneurial abilities in creating farm-based micro-enterprise including non profit development.) Open to Members with Pre-existing Debt: Yes (Better to work off farm to repay debt first. It is unlikely that the farm provide an income sufficient to cover pre-existing debt.) Labor Contribution: Expected (Anyone living on the farm is contributing directly to growing food for our CSA, farmers market or other markets. We also are planning to support the development of micro-enterprise that will also contribute the sustainabiliy of the farm.) Join Fee: No (Ecovillage homesites require a lease payment and one's own investment in construction. After the construction phase, ecovillage residents work in farm or farm-based livelihoods. Each ecovillage resident then contributes a percentage of their micro-enterprise dollars to the farm or works on core farm activities as a kitchen manager, fruit manager, market manager, CSA manager, etc. We share profits with those involved in direct farm activities.) Regular Fees: No (interns and volunteers exchange labor energy for education in farming from seed to market, group dynamics,mechanics and construction and contribute to the farm's overall circle of energy with the goal of leaving the farm more beautiful or strong for their having been here. We are grateful to all of the many volunteers who have worked at White Buffalo Farm over the last almost four decades.)
Land and Buildings Rural (the community is in a low population area close to the west elk wilderness area in central western colorado) Area: 60 acres (24.3 hectares) (20 acres of orchard and 4 acres of vegetable fields. 3 high tunnel greenhouses. primary water rights. several historic buildings and work stations.) Land Owned By: Individual community member(s) (subchapter s corporation owned by Wayne. We plan to transfer ownership to a non profit to be managed by residents after current debt on the land is paid off. We plan to establish a non profit before that time.) Number of Residences: 7 (We have plenty of room for newcomers to start. We are also working on renovation and repair of historic structures.) Cohousing: No (We are re-forming as a farm-based ecovillage with a focus on sustainability and right livelihood. We honor goodness and believe in the teachings of Yeshua and the many great saints and buddhas that have come before. Spiritual clarity is encourged. Alcohol is not permitted on the farm in order to protect the well-being of our interns and volunteers.)	Food, etc. Percentage of Food Grown: over 50% (We grow many acres of fruits and vegetables which we eat and sell and supplement with organic bulk products) Share Community Meals: Nearly all dinners (Interns, apprentices and the farm staff share almost all dinners (and sometimes more) during the growing season.) Dietary Choice or Restrictions: There are some dietary restrictions (We try to be attentive to our carbon footprint. Everything else is a special treat, rare and used sparingly and with respect. For instance, avocadoes and coconuts do not grow here. For raw vegans, we also do not have a plentiful supply of nuts. We work with what we have. For meat eaters, we avoid pork and beef on the farm and prefer buffalo or venison. We try to eat what is available locally and seasonally.) Dietary Practice: Primarily vegetarian (We rely on the bounty of the farm and what can be grown or produced locally first. We prefer certified Organic foods. We seek to provide raw milk and our own delicious eggs along with whole grains, breads and beans as the mainstay. The Community Kitchen Manager (or crew depending on staffing) attempts to meet the preferences of each individual within the contraints of budget and time. We start off with a healthful vegetarian base. The core meals are generally not vegan, but we a vegan can generally find a healthful way to meet their needs. We fish in local waters and also trade or purchase free range chickens.) Alcohol Use: Prohibited (zero tolerance due to educational setting.) Tobacco Use: Used Occasionally (organic tobacco and no chemical cigarettes, please)	Social Factors Common Spiritual Practices: No (We study and practice the core truths in many traditions with a special focus on learning the psychological insights of buddhism and practicing the loving kindness taught by Yeshua and established by the Essenes. We also practice yoga and have a sweat lodge on the property. We honor the divine feminine as expresed through Mother Mary, the 21 Taras, and White Buffalo Calf Woman.) Which Spiritual Traditions(s): Native American :: Buddhist :: Roman Catholic :: Eclectic (integrates pieces from many religions) (Christian, Zen and Tibetan Buddhist, Sufi, and Native American) Educational Style(s): Home schooling :: Public schooled (Delta School District also offers a hybrid home school-public school option for students in Paonia.)

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Comment from hotpotmike on 12/8/2008 (Reader Rating: 0)

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White Buffalo Farm is a peaceful yet productive
" Garden of Eden " The community is very friendly and open-minded and often enjoy warm and loving family events together. The great atmosphere and wise managment make it a fun and satisfying place to work, and learn organics. I want to be there again, i think they will not be too suprised to see me, my brothers. Mike Balfour, Canada

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