The Green Bean: an environmental learning center and working permaculture farm grounded in a vision of a positive future. An ecological premises, where knowledge is shared and social links are created, a cultural and festive place, filled with solidarity. Le baraquet is a preserved area in the heart of the Aude Pyrenees. It's 6 hectare grounds and it's buildings, abandonned over the last 30 years,
are being brought back to life, providing the premises for Mark Howie and his sister Jane's wonderful and ambitious project. Le Baraquet: is composed of 6 hectares of permaculture land, surrounded by woods with regular visits of wild animals, sign of its' preserved environment, which can provide for vegetable, cereal, fruit and aromatic herb growing, in order for the place to become self-sufficient. Le baraquet: the old farm buildings neatly fitted in the 6 hectare lands, are awaiting new life:
dormitories, rooms, communal areas for catering, for creating (physically and intellectually), for partying, dancing, meditating, learning, sharing, listening and watching...
Le baraquet:
a nuclear free and self-efficient premises energy wise, with solar panels and wind turbines in order to provide sufficient electricity for daily needs. Add a generator set run on recycled oil for specific important power needs. Le baraquet:
A place that makes sense, which allows collective, creative, and responsable human activities. The two existing barns will become workshops:
A workshop called root workshop dealing with the physical side of the setting up, using at least metal and woodworking machines and tools for the work and maintenance on the premises (electricity, building work, plumbing, ...) and to offer training courses (wind turbines, compostboxes, dry toilets, etc...) A workshop called air workwshop for intellectual, physical and spiritual creativity, allowing conferences, seminars, meditation, dance, yoga training courses, or any other activities that require calm, comfort and equanimity. Dormitories and rooms to accomodate greenbeaners from afar, a community kitchen and a dining area are planned. You can come to Le Baraquet to attend a training course, to live an artist's retreat, for nature-orientated group activity holidays, for a short-term residence or just for a selected evening, iniated by the local greenbeaners : a musical event, a film projection followed by discussions, theatre, etc...
The various on-site activities will include sharing knowledge and skills, in order to restore a sense of reappropriation of one's own destiny and autonomy. Everyday life will be rich at Le Baraquet :
From gardening to cooking, from the renovation and reconstruction of the premises to the daily maintenance, and one-off projects to learn all about dry toilets and composting with Ecolette, already on the premises. How to go about it ? Mark Howie, Ecolette's business manager, from this day forth, would like to inscribe his ecological and responsible commitment within a larger coherant framework, that creates social links conducive to the reappropriation of one's own destiny and autonomy. He has teamed up with his sister Jane for this project and they have managed together to raise the funds in order to buy the premises. In order to give a framework to Le Baraquet's collective living environment, an Association joining all persons involved in a long-term commitment towards the project, is currently being created. For now, it's a question of rolling up one's sleeves...
Where do we stand now ? Today, Mark's energy and ability to create active interconnections around the project has worked wonders, please let the photos speak for themselves...
Fruit trees have been planted. A mobile home is already on the spot for those who come to help out. A network is being set up around the project (please see photos)
Nevertheless, an enormous financial need remains in order to buy all the necesary materials for rebuilding the ruins, for repairing roofs, etc... We will be launching a demand for financial help shortly and will be asking you and others to help us to carry out this project. A joyful and dynamic energy determines this project and your donations will make the difference. We will let you know when we are ready to launch the crowd funding. Thanks to you and all those rolling up their sleeves, this project is dynamic, expanding and generating the pleasure of working together and is starting to bear its' first fruit.
