Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is your land like? Who owns it and how big is it?
We have over 50 acres of pine, oak, and madrone forest dedicated to the Bosque Village. The land is a mixture of flat and rolling hills, with a ravine and gorgeous view of Lake Patzcuaro. It is currently owned by one person. In the future, subplots may be zoned and sold to members who are interested in owning their own land.

2. How do you make your decisions?
We work together as a group to come to decisions which affect members. In the case of decisions affecting the land, ultimately the owner of the land has final judgement - we do not communally own property. We have a fairly detailed cultural vision which includes a transcending agreement to not have outside water and electric - these base agreements guide us in our decisions.

3. What is an ecovillage?
There are lots of different 'definitions' for ecovillages. We like to think of our village as a community of friendly folks who live in harmony with our environment. We have adjusted our culture into a way of life that demands respect for our earth and for each other. While we are a very small community, we call ourselves an ecovillage as we look into a future of larger membership.

4. Can I visit?
Yah! See our page on visiting. We ask that you do not visit without prior reservation. We are not equipped to handle unexpected visitors. We have tours scheduled during some weekends in certain parts of the year. Please contact us and we can set up a date for you to visit.

5. How much does it cost to camp while I'm visiting? What if I just want to come for the day?
Cost varies according to reason for your visit. The longer your stay, the better the rate. Also, guests may choose to volunteer and receive a better camping rate with prior agreement. Our basic price for campers is $200 pesos per night. We have some cabanas available for a higher rate. Price includes meals - you need to arrange to be at the Bosque during meal-times or cook your own meals.
If you are coming for a day visit, we ask that you arrange to visit with a group of four people or larger. The cost per person is $100 pesos, so the minimum cost for your group will be $400 pesos. Your visit includes a tour of the property, our permaculture systems, and a mid day vegetarian meal. If you wish you may pay in US dollars at a 10:1 exchange rate (i.e. $200 pesos = $20 US dollars).

6. Are families with children welcome?
Absolutely! Be warned - we are not prepared to babysit your kids, so please be responsible for their behavior. That said, we welcome your entire family. We do charge for kiddos to visit. 3yrs and under are free. We have a trampoline and various games for kids to play, but again, ask that you keep track of your kids. There are ten dogs here, continuing construction projects, and other "hazards" that you need to be aware of.

7. Are pets welcome?
No. When you visit, we ask that you not bring your pets. There are dogs here and we do not wish to have a conflict. If you are interested in membership, let us know if you have pets and we can work together to introduce your pets to the ones already here. Cats are not allowed in any buildings as some members are allergic. Dogs are not allowed in most buildings.

8. Do your members speak English or Spanish?
Both! This is a great place to work on your second language. When we have enough folks here, we have daily language exchanges where we all speak in our second language. Purépecha language classes are occasionally available.

9. Are your members religious? Is my religion welcomed?
The Bosque Ecovillage is not affiliated with any religion. Members are welcome to practice their own religion. Proselytizing is discouraged.

10. Do your members share meals? What kind of food do you eat?
We usually share meals with whoever is staying here. We eat healthy, vegetarian food prepared on our outdoor stoves and ovens. If you are visiting and would like to bring meat, you are welcome to, but our kitchen staff does not prepare meat for group meals. Meat brought is cooked over the outdoor fires. One of our lorena stoves is meat-friendly.

11. Why don't you allow smoking?
Several reasons! We will note two. First, the Bosque Village is located in a forest. Forests burn down every year due to carelessly tossed cigarettes. We do not allow smoking or un-authorized fire building. Second, we have a strong commitment to healthy living. Smoking and eating unhealthy foods are really not conducive to our lifestyle. We ask that any of our smoking visitors walk off the land to smoke, and take care to throw butts away appropriately.

12. How's the weather?
Great! Check out our climate page.