What's Happening Now @ Hummingbird!

Spring/Summer 2009 Issue

Solargon Rising

Hummingbird community is joined by family and friends as they erect a pre-fab building using SIPs (structural insulated panels) in the design of a traditional eight sided hogan called a Solargon. Fast and easy to assemble, the 20 foot Solargon (pictured above) can go up in about 6 hours and is 5 times stronger than conventional framing.   This great energy saving technology uses 20% less wall material and has an energy savings of 30-70%.

The SIPs panels can be used in a diversity of applications from private homes to commercial buildings.  For anyone seeking to be engaged in the growing green building industry, there are opportunities to market this technology as a sales executive or take on a dealership in your area. For more information visit, www.sunsationalgreen.com.

 

This new business venture focalized by Makasha Roske, (having a master dealership for New Mexico) is also serving to build economic sustainability for Hummingbird.  The community is officially a dealership for the Solargon and SIPs technology.  A number of community members (Sara Senet, Mark Courtman, Marie Ruster, David Fisher, and Robert Griffin) are engaged in growing the business.

 

Pictured here are Brian and Luella, owners of ICS based in Loveland, Colorado. Rob Galloway is the creator of the Solargon design. Click here to view our Solargon Slideshow.

 

 

Our Delightful Dancing Colors

Sharing the fertile meadow where the community garden and the Growing Dome have sprouted is Dancing Colors—a 30-foot octagon that is dedicated to art, music, and movement. Sacred geometry and ceremony have been woven into its being from conception. Intended as the beginning of the Hummingbird Arts Center, Dancing Colors has welcomed numerous beautiful gatherings: yoga, Tai Chi, Five Rhythms dance, theatre improv, song, drumming, gong baths, crystal & Tibetan bowls, Eurythmy, sacred ceremony, archetype embodiment, Solargon™ seminars, Awakening the Dreamer Symposium and more.

 

An intimate outdoor performance space was created on the west side of Dancing Colors in late summer ’08 and is awaiting initiation.

 

The solar-powered structure is composed of adobe made from local Mora Valley soil and locally harvested and milled lumber. This home and gathering space beautifully exemplifies sustainable building structure. Michael and Ami are the artists-in-residence; partners in delectable, soulful creativity. For more information on renting this sacred space, please contact Robert Griffin.

Year Round Abundance from our Growing Dome (delightfully named "Manna Rose")

While winter winds and snow may sweep the length and breadth of the ranch, inside our dome it is a cozy 65º and rising as the morning sun shines into the translucent geodesic greenhouse. Our 42-foot dome from Growing Spaces (in Pagosa Springs, CO) was erected in four days but that was only the beginning. It is an ongoing community effort to set up the water tank, build the loft and haul many, many wheelbarrows of rich soil into the structure for the beds. And we love it all! The peripheral ring of beds is complete and already home to tender sprouting plants. The central beds are designed and soon to be built.

 

We are thankful to Hummingbird Stewards Ami Spangler and Michael Elliott for holding the vision and being the driving force behind this beautiful addition to our sustainability. Manna Rose is a place of joy, abundance and gratitude. Click here to view our Growing Dome Slideshow.

Conservation Easement for our Land

As part of an ongoing mission to be responsible stewards of the land, Hummingbird  Community is proud to announce the placement of a 171 acre Conservation Easement of their wild mountain land that will never be developed.  This helps maintain healthy watersheds and vegetation, wildlife habitat, and of course, beautiful, open, natural landscapes.

 

A Conservation Easement (CE) is a legal document which allows landowners to decide how their land will be cared for in the future by voluntarily retiring certain development rights. Taos Land Trust, a community operated private, non-profit corporation, is the recipient of the CE and is responsible for enforcing the development restrictions contained in the CE.  It’s been a delight working with them as they supported us through every step of the process.

 

Ernie Atencio, executive director of Taos Land Trust, had this to say about his experience working with Hummingbird: “Placing a conservation easement can be a very complex and sometimes difficult process, even for an individual or a biological family, but our experience working with the Hummingbird Community was one of the best and smoothest we’ve ever had.  I think that Hummingbird’s clear vision and mission, to ‘care for the earth on behalf of ourselves and generations to come’ and to ‘create an inter-generational sanctuary’ are a big part of what made this such a positive experience for the land trust.”

 

The New Mexico Transferable Income Tax Credit helps landowners get compensated for permanently protecting their land with conservation easements.  Starting this year, landowners can qualify of a state income tax credit worth 50% of the appraised value of a CE up to a maximum of $250,000.  If they cannot use the credit themselves, they can sell them at a discounted amount.  Everyone benefits from this tax incentive - Hummingbird, the person(s) purchasing the tax credits, and of course the land and all its inhabitants. For more information, contact Robert Griffin.