La’akea Permaculture Community

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La’akea Permaculture Community

Located in Pahoa, Hawaii, United States

Mission Statement
We are a committed group of people working together closely as a means to health, relationship vitality, economic stability, personal and spiritual growth. We integrate the social aspects of sustainability into daily life: how to live together with honesty, love and peace, and share power and leadership.

Community Description
We are a small, family style, egalitarian, intentional permaculture community on the big island of Hawai’i. Staying with us is a vibrant immersion in our community lifestyle which many visitors find to be transformative and life changing.

We make important, long term decisions by consensus of community members. Our community currently includes: 10 adult members, 2 children, 3 trial members, 3 long-term guests (and their 2 children). We hold an intention of expanding to 12 to 20 full-time members. We own the land in common, each paying an equal share to buy-in, to ensure authentic power balance. We are actively looking for new members at this time.

Our organic farm practices tropical permaculture in our lush rainforest climate. We bought our land in 2005 and currently grow a large portion of our food. We are growing many kinds of fruits, nuts, and have extensive gardens and greenhouses, taro beds and orchards. We keep bees, chickens, rabbits and sheep who are our natural lawn mowers in addition to providing us with food and fertilizer.

Our electricity comes from solar photovoltaic panels, and our water is from a rainwater catchment system. We value alternative and sustainable building techniques.

We host conferences and events relating to permaculture and new culture as well as run ongoing farm support opportunities and intensive month long internship programs.

We live in one of nature’s most amazing places, surrounded by mountains, oceans, dense jungle and warm pools. We are a short drive from the active volcano and the fresh lava fields. Our visitors enjoy exploring the many unique features of this land, and the cultural activities nearby.

If you are on the Big Island, give us a call and come visit for a few hours, or days, and take a tour of our land and gardens.

We hope to meet you someday – as a visitor, guest, farm supporter, intern, or possible new member!

Housing
Status: We have land we have developed on
Area: 24 acres
Current Residence Types: Single-family homes, Room(s) in a house or building, Tiny house, Yurt, tee-pee, dome, treehouse, or tent, Natural built structues, Lots to build on
Current Number of Residences: 9
Planned number of residences: 12
Planned Residence Types: Single-family homes, Tiny house, Natural built structues
Housing Provided: Purchase, Rental
Land owned by: The entire community membership
Additional Comments:
Members are responsible for building their own dwellings in consultation with the other members.

Membership
Adult Members: 16
Child Members: 4
Non-member Residents: 6
Percent Women: 50%
Percent Men: 50%
Percent Transgender: 0%
Visitors accepted: Yes
Visitor Process:
Contact us via our web site. http://permaculture-hawaii.com/
Open to new Members: Yes
Membership Process:
Living with us for around 6 months, after having been a farm supporter or intern first.

Economics
Join Fee: $50000
Dues, Fees, or Shared Expenses: Yes
Regular Fee per Month: $200
Shared Income: Partial share of income
Required Labor Contribution: Encouraged or suggested
Open to members with existing debt: Yes

Sustainability Practices
Energy Infrastructure: We are totally off grid.
Current renewable energy generation: Almost All, around 90%
Energy sources: Solar
Planned renewable energy generation: 100%
Current food produced: From 50-75%
Planned food produced: 100%
Food produced locally: From 50-75%

Lifestyle
Common Facilities: Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Vehicle Share, Library, Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Hot tub or hot springs, Outdoor Kitchen, Large Scale Kitchen, Tractor & Farm Equipment, Stage or Auditorium, Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Internet
Internet Available: Yes, community provides it
Internet Fast?: Yes, it’s fine.
Cell Phone Service: Good for some people.
Shared meals: 2-5 times per week
Dietary Practice: Omnivorous (plants and animals), Paleo (no grains, dairy, processed foods, or legumes), Local (food sourced within 150 miles), Organic (no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers), GMO Free (only non-genetically modified organisms), Mostly Vegetarian, Mostly Vegan, Raw or Mostly Raw, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free
Dietary Choice or Restrictions: No – people may eat however they wish.
Special Diets OK: Yes
Alcohol Use: Yes, used seldomly, or ceremoniously.
Tobacco Use: Yes, used seldomly, or ceremoniously.
Additional Diet Comments:
We all have different diets but aspire to local, organic and healthy foods. We value health.
Common Spiritual Practice(s): Eclectic (integrates multiple religious or spiritual beliefs), Not a particularly spiritual or religious community, Jewish, Sufi, Unitarian Universalist, Paganism or Earth Religions, Mixed Eastern Philosophy or Practice, Agnostic, Humanist
Spiritual Practice Expected?: No
Education Style(s): Private School off the property, Up to each family or individual
Expected Healthcare Practices:
Being careful to wash the food to guard against diseases spread by slugs. Care to not spread disease among other members.
Healthcare Options: Up to each family or individual

Source: https://www.ic.org/directory/laakea-permaculture-community-2/
            http://permaculture-hawaii.com/