Sustainable Kashi

Project Type

Project Summary

The Next Generation of youth from an intentional interfaith community on 80 acres, working to build upon their parent's 30 years of life's work. The children raised in this community, called Kashi Ashram, believe the permaculture principles will keep their family's and friend's unique culture alive and thriving for generations to come.

Project Description

Kashi was founded in 1976 as an interfaith community by spiritual teacher Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati, whose vision was to serve humanity, to “feed everyone,” and to bring joy even to those on the margins of society.  The communal living and common purpose behind this community has created deep bonds between all of the residents. 

Sadly, in April 2012 Ma Jaya passed away from pancreatic cancer. She was not only the founder, she was also a mother figure to many on the community. Her death has fueled the passion of the next generation, as well as many others, to bring the extended family back together and share with others what they have learned about community.

We believe that permaculture can help this community thrive in a new way, creating a more sustainable future for generations to come. 

Ma Jaya's children are determined to preserve their mother’s compassionate humanitarian legacy. 

Her legacy includes several non-profits:

* The River Fund, which runs programs for women and children in Africa and India and food programs in several US cities, including New York, whose program recently won a major award; 

* By the River, a community residence for low income seniors, which the state of Florida has recognized as a model project; 

* Kashi School of Yoga, which trains teachers in a yoga system developed by  Ma Jaya and sponsors meditation and yoga retreats.

* Kashi Ashram itself, one of the oldest intentional communities in the US, which welcomes people of every religion, background, and sexual orientation.

Two of Ma Jaya's kids wrote:

We have both recently jumped full force into the wisdom of permaculture through reading, research, and online classes. We have moved back home after many years away to share and implement this knowledge.

We believe the next step involves showing people how to feed themselves and maintain their community in harmony with nature.
Originally, we started with the very basics, educating the residents, creating a compost system, and stockpiling organic matter for a sheet mulching campaign. We are currently working on designing the Zone 1 garden and chicken tractor. There is ample guest lodging and space for teaching.  It is our hope that with help we can design a complete system based on our unique ecology and soils to link this zone 1 into zones 2-5. We feel that guidance from those who have practical knowledge can transform this already beautiful property into an energy efficient food production system. 
The long-term goals are to reduce community food costs, create a marketplace and cafe for our produce, develop an eco/green village with a youthful supply of WWOOFers and permaculture students to help with the labor while they learn; and to serve as a model and inspiration to others.
Our passion is undoubtedly there. We have the community and the land, now we just need to make it happen!
With a clear design and vision we can inspire more funding, designate lands appropriately for food forests and such, apply for grants, and open and create space for the next next generation to raise their children together in a vibrant and healthy community. 

For more info about this project please visit our Facebook page at:  http://www.facebook.com/SustainableKashi 

For more info about what Kashi is and does, please visit the website http://www.kashi.org

Updates