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:

Saturday was a big day for our Natural Building Class. We got almost all the bales fitted and installed.

The weather has been amazing, stay tuned for stucco in action.
#strawbalehouse

This week’s Timber Frame and Straw Bale Natural Building class at SolFed Farms was one to remember!

We wrapped up peeling and leveling the timbers, then raised the columns and braced the structure as it began to take shape.

Next week, we move on to scribing and installing the rafters- then it’s time to start the roof!

Another amazing day at our Natural Building Class this Saturday.

Special thanks to KVCC for partnering with us to make this a reality!

Foundation bond beam going in, fortified with field stone from the land, this will provide a very strong and stable base for our straw bales to sit on.

Posts are being peeled and will stand tall next week, stay tuned!

Celebrating the harvest with fabulous farm school friends.

We embraced the moist day and had so much fun making these amazing sourdough focaccia dough garden breads.

Thanks to everyone for making this day special!

Kicking off our Hands on Straw Bale and Timber Frame class.

We have a lovely group with eager hands and minds!

We made a big dent in the foundation dig, and next week we will be building the forms and collecting stones for the bond beam.

The black cherry trees from the site will be used for the timbers. It smelled soo delightful as we began peeling the standing timbers. We even saved the inner bark for making cherry cough syrup!

More updates next week!

Our natural building course is just under 3 weeks away.

We still have spaces available.

If you want to empower yourself to build a structure from the ground up using natural, recycled and repurposed materials. This course is for you!!!!

Partial scholarships available. Link to registration in bio! DM me for more info.

🏚️💪😃

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 Skillshare was real, hands-on learning in the best way. We mixed mud, shredded straw, and worked side by side, 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

I’ve been visiting SolFed Farms for a decade, and it remains one of my favorite places to learn and connect. Their kids’ programs, sustainable building projects, and community workshops are hands-on, welcoming, and inspiring. Larissa and Ondrej are a true wealth of wisdom — Larissa’s creativity and vision shine through in every program, and Ondrej’s craftsmanship as a builder is exceptional. SolFed is a place where community, sustainability, and generosity come to life

Jaron Siegel

The SolFed heart and soul is deeply felt at every point of interaction. Whether you’re at the work of art straw bale home, in the forest at the kid’s farm school program or out immersed in the community classes, Larissa’s wisdom, vision, and creativity is palpable.

Cassie Ballard, Farm School Family

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.