Explore Kalamazoo's Green Future

Discover sustainable living and hands-on learning in off-grid tranquility at SolFed Farms (a 501c3 nonprofit organization) where nature and community thrive together. Join us to explore community building through farming and our natural building workshops in Kalamazoo.

Solfed Farms Nonprofit offers natural building workshops, farm education, fresh produce, and community garden spaces in southwest Michigan. We inspire and empower youth and adults to produce their own food, medicine, energy and shelter through education and collaboration.

Check out what's happening on Instagram:

Such a special week we had at farm skool.

Di' Shun from the Natural Resource Conservation Service came out to share with us about all the various conservation services that can help farmers and land owners in our community.

If you have never heard of the NRCS and love plants, pollinators, and soil health check out all the programs they have that can help you! Every county has one!

While learning about how gardens help heal the soul, we gathered forest moss and other sweet findings to make these adorable fairy gardens this week.

Our garden harvests are coming in and this week we partook in the onion, cucumber, blueberry and broccoli harvest.

Why Build with straw Bales in a Northern Climate?

Incredibly insulating- Straw bales have high R-values (R-30 to R-35+), making homes warm and energy-efficient in cold climates and lowering heating costs!

-Its actually fire resistant and rodent proof! (If done correctly) Much to contrary belief, the densely packed nature of straw bales resist combustion when properly finished with plaster.

It's a sustainable Material – Straw is a renewable, agricultural byproduct with a low environmental footprint and you most likely can get it from right down the road.

My favorite thing about Straw Bale building is its healthy Indoor Air Quality – Straw bale walls are vapor-permeable and non-toxic, helping regulate humidity and reduce pollutants indoors!
What's more-
Lime plaster improves air quality by regulating humidity, preventing mold and mildew growth, and absorbing carbon dioxide! (So cool)
Living in a straw bale house- this is palpable and I feel this in every ounce of my being (not just in my nose)

Sound Insulation – Thick straw bale walls offer natural soundproofing, creating quiet, peaceful interiors.

Durability – When protected from moisture and built correctly, straw bale homes are long-lasting and resilient in harsh winter conditions.

What drew me the most to straw bale building was its user friendly installation. All people can help in this process- old ones and young ones alike! It's a great way to build community and use local resources to construct a beautiful structure that will last lifetimes!

In this workshop we focused on a retrofitting technique, demonstrating how strawbales can be used in an existing stick frame construction. Remodeling is another great way to get into natural building!

To learn how to build this way- check out our 10 week course- Hands on Straw Bale and Timber Frame Natural Building (link in bio)

Special thanks to @tillersinternational and @earthcraftskillshare for hosting us at this amazing event!

Stay tuned as our next project is long term durability studies partnering with WMU.

Amazing and successful kids farmers market today!

Thank you so kindly to all the community that showed up for these wonderful children.

This event was an amazing opportunity to connect and network.

The children sold their creative art, hard earned vegetables, baked goods and jam!

From our heart to yours, thankyou!!

Such a rich experience on the farm this week.

Students are preparing for the July kids farmers market next week .

They have been making amazing handmade art and this week we harvested potatoes to sell. (And cook in the solar oven!)

The gardens are growing fabulously, we meditated in the woods and got to try gelli print making with @cass_ballard.

You can find us at the Kids Bank st farmers Market next Tuesday, July 15th from 10-1!

As many of you know, we built our home and farm using 100% solar power.

But for us, this is just the beginning of our journey learning to live with the elements.

We wake when the sun rises, we use the solar power to wash our clothes, irrigate our fields and power our tools.

Several years ago we invested in a solar oven to cook our food directly with sun energy!...

A week ago, fate had it with a big truck and a shiny oven- smash!!

But because our friends are amazing and honorable, a new one has appeared, better and more equipped than ever. The spinning table helps us orient it to the sun!

Special thanks to @dean-linding for picking this up for us and saving a $750 purchase for a new one!!

Keep posted for more fun and amazing solar cookers and hopefully a methane bio-digester in our future!

solfedfarms

Our Program Offerings:

Natural Building

SolFed’s Natural Building programs teach simple, sustainable ways to build and insulate structures. Through hands-on workshops, participants learn practical skills and work together on real projects. Our goal is to make natural building easy, affordable, and empowering for everyone.

SolFed Kids Farm School

Weekly classes during sumer months. Families join our hands-on workshops to learn sustainable farming practices. Our instructors guide you through the basics of learning to grow your own food and living an off-grid lifestyle.

Community Tours

Join us for guided tours that connect you with sustainable living practices right in Kalamazoo. Discover how we nurture growth and foster community ties within our off-grid environment.

"The Natural Building workshop at Earthcraft was real, hands-on learning in the best way. We mixed mud, shredded straw, and worked side by side with good people, figuring things out together. It felt good to use simple, natural materials and see how accessible this kind of building really is. I left feeling capable and connected."

Tyler Baumann, Workshop Participant at 2025 Earthcraft Skillshare

Our Mission

Our mission is to cultivate resilient communities and restore the health of our planet by advancing regenerative agriculture and natural building practices. Through education, innovation, and collaboration, we empower individuals to embrace sustainable living, rebuild ecosystems, and foster harmony between humanity and nature. We are committed to co creating a learning environment for youth and adults to grow and process their own food, medicine and shelter. This involves natural building and farming workshops, youth education programs, running and operating community gardens to support regenerative agriculture. Other projects include land restoration, invasive species management, hosting events for the public, and a community solar array installation for community and Solfed members to have access to sustainable energy

Your Questions, Answered

What services does SolFed Farms offer?

SolFed Farms offers community tours, Farm School Program and natural builidng classes in Kalamazoo to educate and empower our community.

How can I participate in the workshops at SolFed Farms?

You can participate in our 2025 Fall Course through KVCC - Intro to Straw Bale and Timber Frame Building - Click here to register or learn more

Does SolFed Farms provide tours of the farm?

Yes, we offer guided tours showcasing our off-grid systems, straw bale house and sustainable farming practices. Contact us for more info and to schedule a tour!

I have more questions about Natural Building and Off-grid living, can you help?

We love hearing your ideas, meeting new folk and brainstorming ideas about creating a sustainable future. Contact us!

Can I host my event at SolFed Farms?

We love events! We would love to hear more about your event and explore how we can work together.

Reach Out to Our Team

Contact SolFed Farms for inquiries about our off-grid community and educational programs in Kalamazoo.