Sustainable Living & Education Project

This project is about creating a self-sustainable homestead and educating others to be able to become as self-sufficient as they wish to be through community programs and stays. The ultimate aim is to be able to purchase a small rundown house on as large amount of land as possible - and for the fixing and preparing of the house and land to be journaled/photographed/blogged. The property will be used to create a self-sustaining (as much as possible) homestead or farm, where I can educate, support community learning and achievement in living as wholistically as their frameworks allow, hopefully have space and resources to facilitate healing and life improvement skills for those interested, and to sustain my family - proving that it can be done! This project would encompass these things and more:- * growing your own organic vegetables and fruits * raising animals for both food and other products in a healthy, kind and humane way * permaculture principles * using recycled and second hand resources wherever possible * healthy living principles * cooking and eating healthful foods grown on the homestead * easing costs on individuals, families and communities by implementing as many self-sustainability idea as possible within their framework/situation. * natural health ideas (I am going to become a naturopath also) * a regularly updated and highly functional website/blog to keep the public up to date with the homestead, as well as be an avenue for people to learn skills, get ideas and inspire them. Large contributors would be featured on the website as a reward for their donation (more on rewards below) How big the project gets really depends on if I can raise the full amount of funds needed. The full amount would buy land with a usually "fixer-upper" house that needs improvement, fund purchasing the animals needed to start off, fixing up the house as part of the project also, put any fences needed up for the animals and the resources needed to start growing organic crops, and purchasing any other needs to get the homestead/farm up and running. All purchases would be made with an aim to be as sustainable as possible, and preferably second-hand, repurposed materials. With enough land, I would bring in older houses that could be relocated to be fixed up for accommodation for students, groups/conferences, those wishing to have a retreat and embrace a "down-to-earth" change, but mostly for educational/healing community needs. Slightly less than the target would mean a smaller property and a lower chance of being able to create accommodation on site - it would be a working homestead that may not sustain overnight guests, or they may have to camp. Half of the target would probably mean a substantially smaller property that could have day tours and hands on experiences, and I would need to spend more time working on supplementing my income to keep us afloat. I will still make an impact through visitors and students of self-sustainability coming, as well as smaller events and of course the documenting of the process on a blog and other media, and visiting other communities in the country. Less than half of the target would mean that I would have the resources to document becoming as self-sustainable as possible where I am in the city, would go into education and resources to do what I could wherever I could reach to on wholistic living, self-sustainability and leading a healthy life. I would hope to be able support community organisations to plant gardens, cook healthy food and create opportunities for people make or strengthen their support network. What I can achieve all depends on how much is contributed. One top priority of this project is single parents with children. I have wanted for a long time to give aid to these parents who are doing the job of two. I want be trying to find ways to support single parents and their children becoming more self-sustainable and healthy, help them decrease their dependence on outside resources, increase their living standard and also help increase their food security and nutrition. As I receive money, I will work on getting the website first so that updates and education would be accessed easily - then I would work with whatever I have - wherever I am. The more money raised - the bigger the reach I have to accomplish these things. Thank you everyone for reading this far (this isn't even everything, lol!), please 'Share' this with all of your contacts and thank you for all of your support ~ Blessings.