Often people ask me why my logo has three leaves. Some believe that it has something to do with religion but it has no such meaning. On the other hand, I would have never chosen two or four leaves. Now, after three years I can tell you why, since I know exactly what my core values are, and they are three.

Live intune with nature
At this point most of the food I need, I buy from the city. This must stop year by year. The ideal situation is to grow, forage and trade with my neighbors for the food I won’t be able to produce.

I have a raised bed garden that I’d love to become a permaculture garden or a food forest. Also a greenhouse is a great idea since I live in a cold climate. In this way I can grow a big variety of produce.

The forest is full of edible sprouts and leafy greens in the spring and many types of mushrooms and berries in the autumn. The surrounding grassland is full of flowers, some edible, some for teas and medicinal use. Learning about the wilderness around me will greatly improve the diversity of my diet.

Some things can’t be grown here because of the climate, the elevation, and the land orientation. Some things must be cooked, baked or produced by a skilled individual. At the end of the day some of my neighbors will be better at some things and I will be better at others. By trading we will enjoy both the fruits of our labor.

But nature is not only about growing, harvesting and foraging. By learning the song of the birds, animal tracking, the clouds, the movement of the sun and the moon I will be more at home.

Educate myself and others
Knowledge should flow for the betterment of humankind. I am a child that wants to learn, experience and enjoy all he can, and an adult that wants to teach and share all he knows. But there is no chicken and egg dilemma, so sometimes the roles will be switched. Workshops, courses and webinars, volunteering, summer camps and retreats must become the norm, a hub for education.

The thing that I like most is to be able at the end of the day to go back a step or two, look and say „I accomplished this today with my own hands”. I, together with other professionals, will host workshops on building with natural materials, arts and crafts, tool building, making musical instruments, or…

Sometimes one just want to learn or be better informed. So courses or webinars will be a better and easier choice. Of course I will start with natural materials and building techniques since I am an architect. Then we can add, with the help of professionals, classes for musical instruments, photography, or…

Accepting volunteers is a great way to exchange information and culture. Life is not only about skills and knowledge but also about language, traditions, religion and the views about life. In our global society embracing diversity will be a privilege.

Time is the un-tradable commodity. Enjoying a few days in the wild within a prepared environment is the best way to disconnect from society and reconnect to our family, friends or inner self.
Summer camps for kids will be a great way for parents to enjoy some well deserved rest, and for kids to discover the world with montessori teachers, wildlife stewards, arts and craft professionals.
Retreats will be a space for meditation, solitude, inner peace, but also a space for connecting with open minded people while enjoying live music, the rusting of the leaves, the song of the birds, a campfire and a sky full of stars.

Sustainable community
When people in the old days moved from the countryside to the city they used their savings. I did the same thing when I moved from the city to the forest. But this kind of attitude is not sustainable. I would like to get rid of money but not everything is sunshine and rainbows and no matter how much I try, I will not be able to resolve everything with barter and volunteers. Money will be needed for building materials, for the professionals that will host workshops, courses or will guide summer camps or retreats, for things that can’t be produced like fuel or solar panels or for emergencies.

For all this I propose a few avenues of income.
Natural products that I can sell like jams and pickles that I grow or forage, but also carved wood pieces or clay objects.

Events that will be organized will be fairly priced so money will not become a participating barrier.

Hospitality services can be a choice since some people would like to enjoy peace and quiet times with their families.

Youtube ad revenue, featured articles on the blog or donations can supplement a little bit to the budget.

And because I am a builder and an architect, I will also be involved in projects using natural materials or building techniques as a consultant or I will build/organize projects.

So now I know, and you know, what my path is. All I have to do is walk it. Come along, it will be a great addventure…