"SOLAR HAVEN 2"
IN VERACRUZ, MEXICO
THE PLAN:Since Jim and Mindy have now moved to Veracruz, Mexico, plans are underway to build "Solar Haven 2" based on the same ideals of living simply and sustainably as the original Solar Haven in Arizona. It will be somewhat more modest in scope. Since there are no protective covenants or building codes in Mexico forcing us to build as large a house as we did in Arizona, the house can be much smaller. There is also no need for heating or cooling living so far south in Mexico. The house will be about 500 square feet and most likely be made of native stone which is so plentiful where we live. Veracruz is not wheat straw country. Having the bales trucked in from two states away would be prohibitively expensive and using all that gas to transport them is anything but environmentally friendly.
Living in the tropics means so much more living can occur outdoors. The entire kitchen can be outside on the patio (Mindy will of course continue to do most cooking with the sun) and we can sleep outside much of the year. No heating or cooling is necessary--this is the tropics! Electricity will be provided by solar panels, inverter, batteries, and a back-up generator for periods of cloudy, rainy weather during Monsoon and the dead of Winter. Water is easily heated by the sun in a black storage tank located on the roof.
We are currently looking for land to buy -- somewhat secluded but still close to town.
WHAT THINGS ARE LIKE FOR US NOW:
We live in a small village (called a "ranchita") located about half way between the capital of Veracruz, Jalapa, and the coast. It lies in a beautiful green valley with a large river, the Rio de Pescados, flowing through to the coast from the slopes of Mr. Orizaba (elevation, 17,340 feet).
The population of our town is about 900 with many many many more cows, burros, chickens, oxen, horses, and dogs.
The town is about five blocks long and two blocks wide plus several houses sprinkled up the steep slopes of the valley, including our rental house.
Most of our neighbors are "camposinos" who work in the fields. Many know how to build a house and have most likely built their own, first with bamboo or sticks and later with cement blocks... Everyone has their kitchen outside on the patio and cooks with wood...
Everybody knows everybody, of course, and support and care for each other in a most wonderful way. There is a community loud speaker with announces birthdays, who has what for sale at the moment, and upcoming events. Most of our food comes from a neighbor's yard or pasture. Prices for food are half of what they are in the United States, and of course the food is very fresh and organically grown. Everybody has unlimited free water from an irrigation canal above the town.
We can buy almost every thing we need either in town or in a larger town five minutes away. Most services are available locally as well. We have been able to get almost anything fixed for a song--stuff no one would repair in the states. For big ticket items like appliances and electonic gear, Jalapa is a 35 minute drive on a four lane freeway. We have a Costco there plus Home Depot, Sam's Club, Office Max, Walmart, and the "Chedruai" (the Mexican equivalent of Walmart but better).
The people are very warm and friendly. They laugh and smile a lot...
The kids are adorable. Here are the kids from one family standing at our gate with some custard to sell that their mother had made...
None of our neighbors speak English. A few have worked to the United State but were never able to learn the language. We understand why. Learning Spanish has been very diffiuclt and a full-time occupation for these past five years. Mindy does pretty good now--Jim still not so hot.
We have adopted four dogs (or did they adopt us?). We could not bear to watch them starve to death on the street - Bingo, Pippen, Brindle, and Norman. We love them. We brought our old dog Ty and our cat, Ghost, with us from the United States. Ty passed away last year at almost 16.
Our little town is the "old Mexico" with the traditional ways and customs very much intact -- including fiestas...
and parades...
and pinyatas at birthday parties...
and lots of good eating...
and big "cinceñero" parties to celebrate a young lady's coming-of-age at 15...
We plan to keep our vintage Airstream trailer which we brought with us to Mexico and lived in our first year here. It makes a fine guest house...It has recently been refurbished with new flooring, curtains, and painting.
FUTURE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM:
Our Airstream trailer will make a fine place for new interns to live without cost while they get hands-on experience with renewable energy systems and natural building - just as they did at Solar Haven in Arizona. There is also no cost for meals, but interns are expected to help with the cooking and also shopping at the Mercado -- our large open air market. The Mercado is an experience not to be missed...
Should this opportunity appeal to you, please get in touch with us! As perhaps you have already seen in our Mexico videos, this part of Veracruz is a very special and beautiful place to live and visit. We are within a half hour of world class rafting, birding, climbing, and hiking locations..
More to come...
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©Jim Phypers 2011
