We’ve been called many things from being a “commune” (we’re not) to a “mystery ranch” (we like that one).  In simplest terms, Willow Springs is a community hub for the daily free expression of the creative seed lying within.

On any given day, you may witness the following: cabinets being made from sustainably harvested bamboo; custom-made guitars sculpted out of salvaged hardwoods; textiles and blankets woven from locally harvested wool; uplifting music being composed from a cocoon-like loft; yoga classes taught out of a re-purposed auto garage; vegetables, berries, and flowers being organically farmed; designers developing their next visions to be manifested for the community.

However, it is not really the “what” that makes Willow Springs.  Rather, it’s the common belief in what’s possible when we honor each other’s passion and the earth that supports all of us.  We invite you to inquire about how you can participate in this ongoing, ever-evolving community project.

Entering our tenth year, we have just begun to scratch the surface of this land’s potential to be a place for people to collaborate and manifest their dreams, visions, and intentions. We’re not sure exactly where it will all lead, but know that it is work that needs to done.

The Place
On an old 3-1/2 acre homestead that once sustained a roadhouse bar and auto garage, we have found a modest place to test our audacious vision. Fronting State Highway 49 (linking together the gold strike towns of 1849) as you enter North San Juan (population 125), the land follows what is thought to be an old filled in creek bed that now saturates the gently sloping meadows during the winter rainy season. Scattered throughout the grassland are houses, barns, garages, and various outbuildings.

With this fabric of old buildings and fertile land as a starting point, we have methodically and intuitively begun to weave in our vision. At the moment, we are sustaining affordable housing, a half-acre organic farm and seed saving co-operative, community gardens, woodwork and guitar-making shops, a yoga studio and massage room, a weaving and fiber arts co-operative, a laboratory for sustainable invention, architecture and scultpure studios, and community dining and event space.

As we restore and regenerate this place, we strive as much as possible to use locally sourced and reused building materials, renewable energy, water pumped and cycled on site, and permaculture gardening practices. We see our desire to heal and strengthen the mind, body, and spirit as necessarily intertwined with these practices and a consciousness of place.

The People
There is a saying that the essence of farming is first and foremost to grow the soil. At Willow Springs, we aspire to cultivate a place where people are nourished and inspired to unlock the potential of their dreams. We believe that within every person lies a unique combination of passion and innate ability capable of sustaining his or her life energy. In providing an environment full of love and evolving natural beauty, we seek to be catalysts in each other’s growth.

We are collectively pursuing many passions from design to farming to artisanal crafts. We are an evolving group consciously creating a place that diverges from the norm, yet stays connected. We believe in salvaging and tinkering; gardening and sharing meals; seeking inspiration for innovation from nature while cherishing its perfection; quietly meditating and raucously jamming.

We are interested in practicing our principles and learning by doing. We embrace the adventure as we experiment with sustainable living. Along the way, we hope to share some of what we learn.