earth releaf faq

1. Where is Earth Releaf located?

We are located on the biggest island of Hawaii called Hawaii. the land is the southern most intentional community in the US located about 4 miles from the little town of Naalehu. Part of our longer term goal is to establish more than one earth releaf farm in various locations, all helping support each other and trading and network/playing together. If this area in Hawaii does not suit you, it is possible that if your consensus support is sincere that we would consider helping to start a sustainable land trust farm in your area.

2. What is the weather like?

The weather here is pretty ideal. The temperature (lower elevation: 800 feet) varies from the coldest winter nite of in the 50's to the warmest summer day of around 90 degrees. Most of the time it is around an ideal 70-80 degrees year round. Average rainfall here is around 30 inches a year. We have occasional dry spells here which can sometimes last pretty long but have county water for a backup irrigation. The weather at the higher elevation land is similar but 10-20 degrees cooler.

3. What kinds of food are you growing?

At the moment we are growing mostly a wide range of tropical and temperate fruit trees of about 50-100 varieties growing at the two elevation places. A greenhouse has just completed to grow various vegetables that are difficult to grow outdoors due to fruit fly problems. We are interested in developing an aquaponics food growing system at some point.

4. Are there many jobs available nearby?

Jobs are scarce in this area, tho if one has some degree of skills and willpower over time things come up. There is a large tourist industry here so some with arts and crafts skills can support that way. Some of us are interested in forming an agroforestry coop to raise trees for timber and food. Eco-tourism is another potential way to make money as well as health retreat or permaculture education. Partners could also make money growing food.

5. How many people are currently (march 2011) living at earth releaf?

At the moment forest (the initiator) is the only one here. Over the years many visitors have come and gone, some return again and again for periods and some unsure of total involvement have bought private land nearby. Almost everyone likes the idea of cooperative natural living, but few are serious about it long term, or are willing to be part of the organizational effort to make it happen.

6. If i become a partner in this experiment, how can i be assured my investment of money and time is protected?

To minimize the risk of investment, at the point when a member joins the earth releaf project here, we will be putting the land title into a legal land trust document, containing the elements of legal protection that the consensus of the group determines at the time. Once a year, or each time a new member joins, this document will be updated legally.

By keeping careful track of our individual investments of money and time into this project, and presenting them at regular council meetings, an ongoing account book will be kept and updated periodically to indicate everyones ongoing level of investment, so that should one ever decide to move, they will over time be able to regain some portion of their investment in monthly payments, or possibly more quickly if there is money in a fund. This may all sound too business like for some, but keep in mind it is cooperative business instead of competitive capitalist type business. This is a big difference and is necessary to build trust and transparency to the organization.

7. How much money do i need to join this land trust?

At the time when one more individual decides to join we will decide a fair value for the land and then agree on a price for the partnership at that time. At that time monthly installments of money and/or labor-skills will be made or outright purchase of a share in land trust. those with extra money will be able to invest cash and those without much money, but who have skills or are good laborers, may choose to do labor in place of money, or a combination of both, for their share in the trust. Accurate monthly records will be kept and logged into an account book and over time all involved will balance each other out fairly thru a consensus agreement of time vs money vs skills etc. balance. As more partners join, the land trust document will be updated periodically to reflect the new changes.

8. Why, after you've been there for so long (isn't it 30 some years or something?), do you think it hasn't taken off yet?

Good question, one guess to the answer is that as much as folks want to live sustainable and cooperative and spiritually, it is all a matter of degrees how far each of us is willing to go with it, due to the intense conditioning society puts us thru to live by the traditional centralized consumerized hierarchy system. Earth releaf represents a lot of commonly held ideals, and puts them all into one "wholistic" package. I think there are folks out there who could handle one or two ideals, but the whole package put together i think perhaps seems overwhelming and/or too much for some, yet the wholistic ideals work/play together in complimenting each other, and there is no pressure to change overnite, but rather at our own rate by degrees. If one studies the intentional communities movement, as a sociologist professor friend has done, one will note that of the 280 million people in the US, only about 14'000 of them are living, or have a serious interest in living alternative intentional community sustainable lifestyles. Most folks are just talking and dreaming and not doing. Many are called, but few will take the challenge seriously enough to act on and pursue as a lifestyle.

Another possible reason why folks do not join is perhaps due to the 
eccentric personality of forest. I think many see me as too serious or aloof or different on first impression, but i really feel this is a bit inaccurate. I am a bit serious in wanting to make this a reality but i like to joke around in between. I don't think i am aloof, but can see how others might get that impression by some of my habits. I am also not very helpful to others on physical terms. I enjoy, and am willing to bend over backwards most times, to share knowledge and wisdom of how to live more harmoniously with nature, but i am unwilling to do things for others that they can can learn to do for themselves. Many come here with great intentions, but haven't got a clue how to be self-motivated and self-disciplined and self-reliant, or know how to function without a major big brother influence in their lives. Part of all this relates to fears of nature, insecurities that go back to early childhood and is a long term slow process to evolve beyond. Very few folks i know have gotten very far, i still have a long way to go.  Remember, this is a consensus suppot group arrangement, nothing is forced or controlled, whatever we all agree on is what happens.

Another aspect of why i am still a family of one is due to the consensus part. Consensus is even more remote in society than the intentional community movement, it is a paradigm shift that has not come of age yet, and is spiritual because it goes beyond the leader and follower mentality that pervades our pecking order hierarchical society. To get beyond centralized left brain dominant hierarchy takes an incredible cooperative effort, most folks have little or no experience with that.  I have limited experience meself, but from the past on the board of directors at a local food coop, plus misc. other short term experiences, plus meditations i have some clues to get started. What i am proposing will take a large amount of organized effort with council meetings and such. There will be times when issues come up that will challenge our ability to get along. Many begin to ask, "is it worth all this effort?" For me there is nothing more important, but for some others it looks like a long hard road, a road that many choose not to take.

I suppose there are other scarry hidden reasons out there why i am still alone, oh ya i just thought of another one. There are others like me out there, and a lot of them are in the same boat i am in, wondering where the others all are. It is possible that we initiator types need to all get together, but our egos want to have us be the initiator or some such thing, and rather than sell the land and homestead, and go join another lonely initiator, we may will wait here a lifetime or two hoping we won't have to be the one to move.

9.What is it like here at earth releaf? 

Earth re-leaf is a small place, but there is room for about six people at this time to have private autonomous space with a community house for social activities. There is not a formal educational process going on here at this time. It is more like a social hermitage for people to explore a direct connection to nature on whatever level they are comfortable with, along with the opportunity to see and witness and be involved with the variety of skills related to living more sustainable with nature. It is somewhat rustic here, we do not have a refrigerator or flush toilet. It is pretty clean and neat in a country sorta way.  Some neighbors are a bit like me, eccentric and unusual, but for the most part pretty mellow.

I ask a small donation from visitors staying here, enough to help cover living 
expenses, land taxes, and bills. Suggested minimum donation for sleeping shelter space here at this time is 6 dollars (4 dollars if camping) per day, or one hour work exchange per day. A small additional amount of money is needed for access to hot shower, propane cook stove, and telephone. this might amount to 5-7 dollars additional per month. People supply their own bedding, or i can for a small additional donation. For people with extremely limited funds i sometimes agree to less money and more work exchange. There is an initial probationary period of a few days to vibe out compatibility and common ground.

It can be rather quiet here at times and some people who are used to a lot of social activity or stimulation may feel bored or intimidated by the need to entertain themselves. People here do not at this time work as a group on the land but more as autonomous individuals at their own rate and time. there is a small town about 4 miles away to get supplies and a food buying club a few blocks away where health food may be purchased. We have mostly fruit growing on the land that i sell or trade with friends. There is room for visitors who stay awhile to have their own vegatable garden. 

The daily routines might be for me as follows: get up early do a few chores in garden or building till 9 or 10 am. around 9-10 am an hour or so of yoga, then a bit of social time in community house till noon or so. Then a bit of lunch and a rest period or siesta, then later in afternoon some more chores or computer time, then some supper and around evening a bit more social time in community house. The idea is to get comfortable with hermithood balanced with consensus social time. During social times we talk about living more natural and sustainable, philosophy, spiritual ideals, and how to refine and expand earth re-leaf concepts. For years i have been initiating this process, i used to be more gung ho about the whole thing until i learned after years of experience that few people are very serious about organized consensus natual living and natural health.

The idea here is to create a space where people can come and have a retreat from the hustle of our conumerized unsustainable society, and slow down and consider options to the traditional lifestyle. Also an opportunity to see what it's like to transcend the left brain dominant big brother way of approaching life. It's definitely not for everyone, especially when we add the consensus communications to the formula. Consensus helps bridge the gap between followers and leaders etc. and for some is a bit confusing or intimidating. Earth re-leaf is an opportunity to become responsible with nature, and also learn how to be part of a non-leader group process called consensus. In essence it is a very spiritual experience,  many are called, but not many are ready or seriously interested in the action part. I try to offer people a chance for a test drive, some come and go a few times to take it in doses, some have bought land next to earth re-leaf because they are unsure of total involvement.

I could go on and on but perhaps this is enough to keep your head spinnin for awhile. I will be happy to answer specific questions or send pictures etc.