Everything Under The Sun: Off The Grid And From The Land

Monday, June 22, 2015

Off The Grid And From The Land

The deck on which the yurt was placed is completed.

We have all seen those TV programs that show people taking their lives into the wilderness and engaging in subsistence living. They start from scratch, building homes from the materials on the land, maintaining very few connections to the mainstream, and using the land as their food kitchen. In some cases, if they do connect to the mainstream, they stay off the grid, so to speak, using environmentally sustainable resources.

Jamie Gioe grew up very much connected, in the urban setting of Brooklyn, New York. But her desire for "back to the basics" living brought her into the Ozarks of Missouri. There, she and her nine volunteers started removing some 1100 pounds of trash and debris, while salvaging materials that could be used to build a farm, now known as L'ISOLA FARM. The vision was for the farm to become part of a homestead, a model community where visitors could learn about this type of lifestyle and how to make changes in their lives to more environmentally sustainable ways of living.

Everyone who participates in the project is treated equally and respectfully. Plastics are not allowed and the idea is for this community to become 100% sustainable. Part of the vision is also creating a sort of retreat away from the hustle and bustle of what amounts to modern society, involving meditation and yoga with experienced instructors, in a planned, non-denominational spiritual center. There are also plans to include low-income individuals in the community and helping them to improve their outlook and self esteem. And there is also the development of an artist community through art internships, in which artists can live in this community and pursue their inspiration without worrying about supporting themselves.

Although the size of the project is large, it is proceeding forward step by step and board by board. Before the homestead has even been completed, the group has been inviting visitors, who are charged $60 per week to live in a yurt and for an additional $10 can enjoy a vegan meal with the volunteer "family". Groups can also rent the facilities already available. All money raised through rentals and donations goes back into the community, especially for the next phase of development.

The cob oven in the kitchen.

Speaking of the next phase, plans for this year include building a greenhouse/bathing room; a solar dehydrator for some of their herbs, plants, and roots; making the yurt structure permanent; and building a cob wall for the kitchen. If anyone is interested in helping the group in any way, just contact the group through the CONTACT PAGE on the website.