Beaver Creek Homestead :: Communities Directory

Forming Formed: 2004 Established: 2009

This page last updated:7/29/2011

Beaver Creek Homestead

Nolalu, Ontario,

Canada

This has been an on-again-off-again project since 2004 but as of spring 2009 it is on again for good with gusto.

The objectives are:

- Be self-sufficient

- Live with as light an environmental footprint as possible

- Constantly learning and experimenting

- Build a thriving, vibrant, diverse community

To achieve this we need:

- to produce our own food, water, timber, housing from the materials at hand

- be creative and conscientious with the waste that we produce

- to consciously work to ensure that we add more to the earth than we take away

- to work towards developing a society where people feel empowered and involved

We currently possess:

- 70 acres, with about 20 acres cleared and the rest a fine collection of boreal forest

- An odd assortment of buildings

- a creek and a pond

- the start of a 100' pit greenhouse

- Solar panels

- Electric bicycles

- The potential for wind and hydro power generation

- Grid power

- high-speed internet

- One solid liveable year-round dwelling with 4 bedrooms

- The start of an Orchard

Current Tasks:

- rebuild the greenhouse

- expand the orchard

- restore older building

- brush thinning

- maintenance on main building

Religion:

There are no religious beliefs here. Spirituality is a private matter and best left to the individual.

Politics:

We do not get involved in local politics. Our goal on the homestead is to achieve a participatory form of democracy but the specifics have not been determined yet. The guiding principal here is that people need to be involved in decisions to the degree they are affected by them.

Science

A deep commitment to scientific inquiry and the scientific method is preferred. If we are to achieve sustainability, or any goal, we must have some way of measuring whether we are moving closer to that goal or not.

Setting

People must be comfortable in a fairly remote wilderness setting. There are numerous wild animals from mosquitoes to moose that share the land.

Economy

This is an economic dead zone. The surrounding population is too small to support a service or sales based business approach and the traditional means of making a living (timber and mining) are failing. Thunder Bay is 70km away and not much else around here. We are going to have to be creative if we are to generate revenue here. Everyone is expected to help out somehow in that area, even if only in conservation.

Inquiries and visitors are more than welcome.

Brad Neufeld

Contact:

Brad Neufeld
RR 2
Nolalu, Ontario P0T 2K0 Canada
Phone: 807-577-0934, 952-232-5255

Community location is placed at the center of the zip/postal code, city/state, or city/country (not based on street addresses)

This page last updated:7/29/2011

Visitors Accepted

(Visitors always welcome. If we are cobbing at the time expect to get mucky.)

Visitor Process: Give Brad a call, or send a letter or email and we will be happy to tell you how to get here. Be prepared for a "camping" kind of experience although hopefully a bit more comfortable than that.

Network Affiliations:

No affiliations

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.

Population Members(adults and children): 3 Non-member Residents: 0 Open to new members: Yes (We are actively recruiting now)	Government Decision Making: By majority rule (Lots of strong personalities means we do not always agree, but we trust the group as a whole will figure things out.) Identified Leader: Yes (Brad Neufeld) Leadership Core Group: No	Labor and Money Financial Style: Partial income sharing (We are still trying to come up with a viable, equitable and sustainable financial model, but then again, who isn't?) Open to Members with Pre-existing Debt: Yes (Your finances are your responsibility. You don't get taxed but you also cannot expect any assistance) Labor Contribution: Expected (Hard to say how many hours per day will be required. At this point it will be left to the discretion of the individual.) Join Fee: No (Although this policy may be under review this year.) Regular Fees: Yes (Sustainability also means economic. Fixed monthly costs for the homestead are currently $400 with an additional $100 per person. If we cannot raise that from our members we will be closing June 1, 2012.)
Land and Buildings Rural (There is a road that goes by but the property is largely in the woods.) Area: 68 acres (27.5 hectares) Land Owned By: Individual community member(s) (Owned by Brad but a new means of ownership to be determined later.) Number of Residences: 5 (Not all habitable, but with some effort, possibly.) Cohousing: Yes (This will likely change with time but there are insufficient quality structures to be picky.)	Food, etc. Percentage of Food Grown: 21-50% (The goal is to eventually grow 100% and we are getting their slow nad steady. Perhaps within a few more years.) Share Community Meals: Nearly all dinners Dietary Choice or Restrictions: There are some dietary restrictions (It is poreferable to eat what we grow or raise, but that isn't always possible.) Dietary Practice: Omnivorous (Most of the foods that are grown are vegetarian but we have pigs and chicken that we raised successfully.) Alcohol Use: Seldom used (Discouraged.) Tobacco Use: Seldom used (No smoking indoors and it is preferred that it is not done. Using it for rituals is acceptable.)	Social Factors Common Spiritual Practices: No (We all choose our own path to enlightenment.) Which Spiritual Traditions(s): Eclectic (integrates pieces from many religions) (I have my way, you have your way. As for THE way, that does not exist. - Friedrich Nietzsche) Educational Style(s): Home schooling (There is already the start of a print library while the digital library is vast. Participation in the education is expected of all members, regardless of age.)

Cohousing Details

Cohousing Status:

Forming

Square Feet in Common House:

1500

(4 bedrooms)

Click an image to see it full size.

Become an Editor Current editor(s): bradneufeld

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