Belly Acres part III - Work Trade

We worked three hours a day, Monday through Friday. Belly Acres is a 12-acre parcel of land that was missed by the lava flow in 1955, therefore, it has dirt and trees and plants while on either side of it is solid rock with only the beginnings of growth and neighbors have dirt trucked in if they want to grow anything. Most of the power is solar (all of it once new panels get installed at SPACE) and water is all collected in catchment tanks from the copious rainfall. Food is grown and chickens are raised making it the most self-sustaining community I've ever visited.
The work we were asked to do was varied and kept things fun and interesting. My jobs included stripping the bark of of felled trees; moving logs to dry areas; picking fruit and rescuing coconut trees from the clutches of strangling vines; moving good, rich dirt from under giant mango trees to the green house; catching just hatched chicks to cage them away from mongoose consumption; and building a new roof on the community kitchen. I was also asked to barbecue chicken for another party as my work trade. I developed a reputation as a grill master of sorts. Not a bad way to spend time in work trade... with a beer in my hand.
We also spent a good amount of time flying around the property with Graham in his golf cart, checking things out and listening to stories of times before and plans for the future. There is such a good energy to that place and the work barely ever felt like work. More like satisfaction.

Belly Acres part II

Our first two days at Belly passed and our time was up, but we were invited to stay nearby at the home of our new friend Joel (pronounced Jo-el). After a week of camping then the two days in our rugged, screened-in jungalow, Joel's place was like a palace, decorated to the nines like a Bali influenced, South Pacific paradise. I, of course, forgot to take any pictures except for Melissa with her new lizard friend. She discovered him while working in the garden.
We wanted to thank our host back at Belly for sponsoring our two days, and it was decided that we would return to prepare a large farewell meal for some of the members that were leaving. I grilled the meat outside (to rave reviews, toot-toot!) and the ladies made magic in the kitchen. As we were eating, Graham, the full time resident and HJIC (Head Juggler In Charge) of Belly Acres, invited us to stay a little bit longer as some space was opening up from the departing members. We agreed to 15 hours each of work trade for a week when a crew of workshopping aerialists were coming in for a couple of weeks and taking over the joint. Great!
Melissa went back to the jungalow that the 3 of us shared on our first two nights, while Becky and I were upgraded to a slightly more romantic one, complete with finished wood and the ever-romantic mosquito netting over the bed.
On our second night back, there was a show at S.P.A.C.E., a clown show by our new friend Iman, called Basquette Quese. We had been hanging out and juggling in SPACE, but it was something else to see it transformed into a venue. We ended up seeing several shows there, partied there, juggled there, taught and received teaching there, and every Saturday, attended the Farmer's Market. SPACE is an amazing space.