Logo primary
Logo secondary
Bosque Village
Bosque Village
Details
Commenced:
01/03/2004
Submitted:
17/05/2011
Last updated:
07/10/2015
Location:
Erongarícuaro, Michoacán, MX
Website:
http://bosquevillage.com
Climate zone:
Sub-tropical





Followers
Bryan Cornelius Thiago Torres
View Updates

Bosque Village

Project Type

Rural, Residential, Intentional Communities, Community, Demonstration, Educational

Project Summary

Bosque Village is a combination of a campground, eco-retreat center, permaculture farm and a growing intentional community. We offer many different types of retreats, events, and personal programs for those interested in a visit.

Project Description

One of the most important methodologies we use in the Bosque is permaculture design. 

 Our vision of permaculture is to create a food forest which allows more of a hunter-gatherer lifestyle supported by minimal human agricultural effort. As organic farmers, we do not use chemicals to artificially increase production. Because we have no outside water and wish to develop agricultural methods which do not require conflicts over water, we irrigate almost nothing. We carefully evaluate energy inputs and outputs of all systems, including human systems as described by social permaculture.

Plants
Because we are interested in plants which need nearly no extra water, we pick carefully what we want to propagate and add to the forest setting. Some examples of plants we like include:

  • Nopales. Nopales are a cactus plant with edible pads and fruit. We have planted over 3,000 nopales all over the Bosque, of at least four distinct varieties. Nopales are an excellent example of a no-care, no-water plant. Since planting the nopales, which involves placing a cactus paddle on the ground, we have not had to care for the plants at all.
  • Magueys. Agave Americana.  This majestic  plant has many uses and can survive without additional water. We have planted thousands of them from seed. The stem can be used to make musical instruments and the necter is used to produce pulque.
  • Fruit trees. Fruit trees grow in our small orchard, and we have planted hundreds of baby trees all over the forest. Fruit trees that we are able to grow with little care include: avocado, pomegranate, guayaba, citrus, pear, apple, quince, capuline (a native cherry), and more. We also have grafted 1400 of the native manzanillo trees with pear and quince.

Techniques

  • Swale trails. We have an extensive trail system at the Bosque. Our trails are nearly all made to be level. We cut our trails back into the hillside, which allows for water collection along the level plane. The water seeps into the earth rather than running down the hills, allowing us to retain a lot more moisture for a much longer period of time. Using keyline design we can slowly terrace the land without destroying existing trees.

Social Permaculture

The human aspect of permaculture, Social Permaculture, is critical to our success. If we cannot improve how humans operate with each other, the actions we take to reduce our impact on the environment will not matter.

We do not claim to be experts in how people should live, but we are interested in concepts relating to radical honesty, conflict resolution, alternative relationship models and non-violence. We are creating social agreements which allow us to live with greater abundance, freedom, intimacy and security. By identifying a groundwork of basic rules we can all agree on, we reduce the scope of conflict as our community grows and evolves.

Open communication with a sense of humor releases us from the trivial judgments which impede true intimacy and authentic experience. If we are able to both give and receive constructive criticism in a positive way, we can work as a group to live in a happier world.

Active Living
Our lifestyle is extremely active and participatory. We are a haven for folks who enjoy outdoor activity and our extensive trail system. In the Bosque, we are all students and teachers improving ourselves through study and personal development. We want to create more than we consume.

The Bosque is large so all our visitors should be able to walk 2 km (one mile) on trails without difficulty. We are not, unfortunately, handicap accessible. Some disabilities may be able to be accommodated.

Personal Responsibility
Our prices are much lower than alternatives because our guests and residents, while not perfect, take personal responsibility for their actions. They have increased awareness of their effect on others and their environment. We encourage a gift economy whenever possible.

Care for shared art supplies, tools, toys, and other resources is critical.

During the dry season, extreme caution with fire prevents the forest from burning down. All residents and visitors agree not to smoke while in the Bosque.


Updates

Courses Taught Here!
Project Badges
Rural Residential Intentional Community Demonstration Educational
Administrators
Brian Fey - Admin
Team Members

Report Bosque Village

Reason:

or cancel

Hide Bosque Village

Reason:

or cancel

Legend of Badges

Note: The various badges displayed in people profiles are largely honesty-based self-proclamations by the individuals themselves. There are reporting functions users can use if they know of blatant misrepresentation (for both people and projects). Legitimacy, competency and reputation for all people and projects can be evidenced and/or developed through their providing regular updates on permaculture work they’re involved in, before/after photographs, etc. A spirit of objective nurturing of both people and projects through knowledge/encouragement/inspiration/resource sharing is the aim of the Worldwide Permaculture Network.

Member

Member

A member is a permaculturist who has never taken a PDC course. These cannot become PDC teachers. Members may be novice or highly experienced permaculturists or anywhere in between. Watch their updates for evaluation.

Male memberFemale member

Permaculture Matchmaker

One of these badges will show if you select your gender and the "I'm single, looking for a permaculture partner" option in your profile.

unverified

PDC

People who claim to have taken a Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course somewhere in the world.

verified

PDC Verified

People who have entered an email address for the teacher of their PDC course, and have had their PDC status verified by that teacher. Watch their updates for evaluation.

pri_verified

PRI PDC

People who’ve taken a Permaculture Research Institute PDC somewhere in the world.

pdc_teacher

PDC Teacher

People who claim to teach some version of PDC somewhere in the world.

pri_teacher

PRI Teacher

With the exception of the ‘Member’ who has never taken a PDC, all of the above can apply to become a PRI PDC Teacher. PRI PDC Teachers are those who the PRI recognise, through a vetting board, as determined and competent to teach the full 72-hour course as developed by Permaculture founder Bill Mollison – covering all the topics of The Designers’ Manual as well as possible (i.e. not cherry picking only aspects the teacher feels most interested or competent in). Such teachers also commit to focussing on the design science, and not including subjective spiritual/metaphysical elements. The reason these items are not included in the PDC curriculum is because they are “belief” based. Permaculture Design education concerns itself with teaching good design based on strategies and techniques which are scientifically provable.

PRI PDC Teachers may be given teaching and/or consultancy offerings as they become available as the network grows.

pri_teacher

Aid Worker

The individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to be involved in permaculture aid work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture aid worker experience. Watch their updates for evaluation.

pri_teacher

Consultant

The individual with this badge is indicating they are, have, or would like to do paid permaculture design consultancy work. As such, the individual may or may not have permaculture consultancy experience. Watch their updates for evaluation.

community

Community Project

Community projects are projects that help develop sustainable community interaction and increase localised resiliency.