Gold Bear Ranch

etna, California, United States

  • Updated on: Feb 18, 2024 (about 1 year ago)
  • Created on: Feb 5, 2024 (about 1 year ago)
Gold Bear Ranch

Mission Statement

An ideal environment to establish a self-reliant community, cultivate mutual support, leverage collective assets, and collaborate on a novel approach to sustainable living beyond the confines of contemporary capitalism.

Community Description

Welcome to Gold Bear Ranch, a unique and secluded community in Siskiyou County, nestled deep within the national forest. Our community is a haven for established individuals who have secure incomes and are looking for a place to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and reconnect with nature.

At Gold Bear Ranch, residents have the opportunity to build their own cabins, grow their own food, and hone new skills that they may not have had the time to explore before. Our community is dedicated to ecological harmony and stewarding the land in a sustainable way, ensuring that we leave a positive impact on the environment. Communication is key at Gold Bear Ranch, and we place a strong emphasis on honesty and open dialogue among residents. We believe that fostering a sense of community and mutual respect is essential to creating a peaceful and harmonious living environment.

We are seeking adults who bring valuable skills and financial security to our community, as we aim to create a self-sustaining and thriving ecosystem. Gold Bear Ranch is not a place for young people or those looking for a party scene; rather, we are looking for individuals who are ready to commit to a life of simplicity, hard work, and cooperation.

If you are ready to embrace a slower pace of life, immerse yourself in nature, and contribute to a community focused on sustainability and personal growth, Gold Bear Ranch may be the perfect place for you. Come join us in our journey towards a more harmonious way of living.

  • Status: Re-Forming
  • Started Planning: 1968
  • Started Living Together: 1968
  • Visitors Accepted: Yes
  • Open to New Members: Yes
  • Please read the details in Membership below before contacting this community.Send Message

  • This Community Is Re-Forming

  • Year Re-Formed: 2022

About

  • Type(s):
    • Commune (organized around sharing almost everything)
    • Ecovillage (organized around ecology and sustainability)
    • Shared Housing, Cohouseholding, or Coliving (multiple individuals sharing a dwelling)
    • Unspecified or Other
  • Location: Rural

Housing

  • Status: We have land we have developed on
  • Area: 80 acres
  • Current Residence Types:
    • Lots to build on
    • space to build new cabins/homes
  • Current Number of Residences: 3
  • Planned Number of Residences: 8
  • Planned Residence Types:
    • Room(s) in a house or building
    • Tiny house
    • Yurt, tee-pee, dome, treehouse, or tent
    • Lots to build on
  • Housing Provided:
    • Work-exchange
    • Included in Membership
  • Land Owned By: The entire community membership
  • Additional Comments: This is very much a building from the ground up situation, most of the older cabins are far into disrepair. housing is one of the biggest issues here and part of living here would mean working on the infrastructure so that more people can live here comfortably.

Membership

  • Adult Members: 3
  • Child Members: 0
  • Non-Member Residents: 0
  • Percent Women: 0%
  • Percent Men: 0%
  • Percent Transgender: 0%
  • Percent Non-Binary: 100%
  • Visitors Accepted: Yes
  • Visitor Process: If you would like to visit send us an email and we can arrange that.
  • Open to New Members: Yes
  • Membership Process: we have a 2 day stay policy, in that two days we will decide if we want to ask you to stay longer. Its different for everyone really, if someone is obviously a bad fit, we will ask them to leave. We maintain full rights and responsability for the land and expect visitors to have some sort of respect for the place that they are visiting.

Government

  • Decision Making: Consensus + (everyone agrees, except for up to 3 people.)
  • Identified Leader: No
  • Leadership Core Group: Yes

Economics

  • Dues, Fees, or Shared Expenses: Yes
  • Monthly Fees($): 150
  • Shared Income: Partial Sharing of Income
  • 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
    • Hydro-Electric
  • Planned Renewable Energy Generation: 100%
  • Current Food Produced: Between 26-49%
  • Planned Food Produced: Almost All, around 90%
  • Food Produced Locally: Almost All, around 90%

Lifestyle

  • Common Facilities:
    • Common House
    • Garden(s)
    • Greenhouse(s)
    • Library
    • Workshop
    • Outbuilding(s)
    • Swimming pond or pool
    • Hot tub or hot springs
    • Outdoor Kitchen
    • Large Scale Kitchen
    • Tractor & Farm Equipment
    • Fire pit
    • Swingsets & play areas
    • Internet
  • Internet Available: Yes, both the community and individuals provide it
  • Internet Fast?: Yes, it's fine.
  • Cellphone Service: Not good for most people.
  • Shared Meals: Approximately all meals
  • Dietary Practices:
    • Omnivorous (plants and animals)
    • Paleo (no grains, dairy, processed foods, or legumes)
    • Local
    • Organic (no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers)
    • GMO Free (only non-genetically modified organisms)
    • Mostly Vegetarian
    • Mostly Vegan
    • Opportunivore (dumpster diving, nature harvesting, etc.)
    • Raw or Mostly Raw
    • Kosher
    • Halal
    • Dairy-Free
    • Gluten-Free
  • Dietary Choice or Restrictions: No - people may eat however they wish.
  • Special Diets OK: Sometimes
  • Alcohol Use: Yes, used seldomly, or ceremoniously.
  • Tobacco Use: Yes, used occasionally.
  • Common Spiritual Practice(s):
    • Ecumenical (accepts all religions or spiritual practices)
    • Not a particularly spiritual or religious community
    • Atheist
    • Agnostic
    • Humanist
  • Spiritual Practice Expected?: No
  • Education Style(s): Up to each family or individual
  • Expected Healthcare Practices: Cleanliness is important for the general health of the community, clean your body, clean your clothes, and clean up after yourself.
  • Healthcare Options: Up to each family, household, or individual

Community Network or Organization Affiliations

The Foundation for Intentional Community (FIC)

Fair Housing Laws

This community acknowledges that their listing does not include any potential violations of the Fair Housing Law, or that they do not provide housing. For any questions about this topic please see our Content Policies and contact FIC with any questions or concerns: directory@ic.org.

Keywords

wilderness, self directed, reforming, commune