[news]
Paradise lost Sundog Ecovillage’s permaculture utopia hits the market by Laura Scheer
them were turned away by the price, while others were wary of the amount of work it takes to maintain 40 acres. They eventually lowered the price to $400,000. “It’s going to take a really ambitious family or a few families to really take up the baton and move forward and continue with the size of work that Sundog has done,” Williams says. Inside the spacious workshop, Gutzmer demonstrates the recycled garage doors he put on wheels to create moveable walls. The space has been used as an art studio, tool shed, mechanic shop, meeting place, guest room for visitors and even a play place for Aluna. “One thing has many uses if you open your mind to it,” Gutzmer says, pointing to areas in the building. “Someone would be welding over here while my daughter’s playing with Legos over there and Bob Marley’s on the radio in the background.” Sundog served as a gathering place for scores of ecominded people. During the 2012 Permaculture Conference, it hosted around 60 visitors, with musicians from Africa, Mexico and the Czech Republic playing music together around the now desolate and quiet fire pit. photo courtesy of Sundog EcoVillage It was during that same gathering when Baquero and The founders of Sundog Ecovillage imagined a permaculture-based utopia, but struggled Gutzmer realized that it was time to find people willing to trade urban amenities for a sustainable community lifestyle. to move on. “Our mission was no longer achievable sources and minimized waste. Perhaps one cluded, but still connected to the grid. The of the best examples of this practice could main house and the skeleton of the work- with the group that we were,” Baquero says. Both Baquero and her husband say be found in its large “hugelkultur” garden shop were the only existing structures located in the center of the property. Dur- when the group purchased the site in 2008. they are at peace with their decision. Gutzmer describes the property and ing the summer, it’s teeming with aspara- Since then, hundreds of interns, workers, gus, strawberries, sunflowers and raspberry transients, volunteers and students from all all it entails like a painting. “Once you finbushes, all of which thrive thanks to a sys- over the world helped build the property’s ish it, you have to put it out into the world,” he says. tem that catches snowmelt and rain runoff many amenities. Baquero describes the experience as Today, the land has gained a large and stores it in an underground reservoir. Demonstration projects such as the garden workshop, chicken coop, fuel shed, four- enriching. “I think the biggest lesson we learned are what made Sundog stand out in the season yurt, sustainable tree house, fire pit, playground, raised garden protected by ar- through Sundog is to make sure your goal emerging permaculture movement. But over the last five years, the core tistically designed fencing, and heated dog is realistic from the beginning,” she says. During a recent visit, Baquero tenderly group struggled to find people willing to house. There have also been hours and trade urban amenities for a permanent life hours devoted to forest restoration. But touched the potted plants still housed at none of these improvements has a market Sundog, watering some and simply admirat Sundog. “It’s hard for people to let go of indi- value when it comes to selling the property. ing others. Outside in the garden, she “They have added so many things that picked the last bit of living kale before ofvidualism,” Gutzmer says. Baquero acknowledges that working in in this economy can’t equate to anything fering up its remaining herbs. “This place makes me proud even Missoula and living at Sundog proved to be but love,” says Jeannette Williams, the real though it’s sad that it didn’t work out as a struggle. Her 30-minute commute to Mis- estate agent for Sundog. Williams says there were a few inter- we’d hoped,” she says. soula’s International School, where she teaches Spanish, proved to be a hassle that ested buyers when the property first went editor@missoulanews.com not many others were willing to bear. But on the market for $430,000, but some of When Jason Gutzmer, Penelope Baquero and seven other idealists initially purchased 40 acres of forestland in the Potomac Valley 30 minutes east of Missoula, they envisioned a small community based on land stewardship and sustainability. But in nearly the same amount of time it took to plan and purchase the property, the dream of the Sundog Ecovillage crumbled. Its remaining members are now moving on. The founders started Sundog Ecovillage with the hopes of creating a permaculture-based utopia. Residents committed to a way of life that maximized natural re-
the main reason she and Gutzmer threw in the towel was their daughter, Aluna, who spent most of her six years of life as the only child living at Sundog. “As she grew older, I noticed that she was lonely and wanted friends,” Baquero says. Disillusioned, Baquero, Gutzmer and remaining group members Jean Duncan and Rick Sherman put the Sundog Ecovillage up for sale in April. It remains on the market today. Situated next to more than 75,000 acres of public land, the property is se-
missoulanews.com • January 2–January 9, 2014 [9]