Cactus bags – coming soon to a tienda near you!
Leave a reply
Tag Archives: Mexico
Mexico Sustainability With A Twist!
Thirteen years ago Dan Gair & Holly Hunter bought land in a small village on the coast of Jalisco. Three years later they sold their U.S. businesses and moved to the property full time. The experience since became a rogue experiment that overran the lab – fun, challenging, and even scary at times.
In September 2018 “The Mexico Diaries, A Sustainable Adventure”, a memoir about their journey, was released on Amazon & Kindle. To date the book has received an astounding 4.7 average rating on Amazon/Kindle and 4.44 on Goodreads (30+ reviews on each). SurvivingMexico. com / Book Reviews calls The Mexico Diaries “A whirlwind Mexican journey to sustainability and beyond…”.
In the book you will find scores of eccentric people, outrageous animal stories, narco encounters, corrupt cops, and even a splash of Voodoo or two! The book is also a narrative about switching up our lives and pursuing a more sustainable lifestyle on foreign soil.
For those of you considering Mexico as a place to retire to, ‘The Mexico Diaries’ can serve as both encouragement, and a cautionary tale.
That’s it then. Hop on Amazon using the following link (https://goo.gl/FHJ94q), purchase a copy, and enjoy the ride! Please also consider giving it a review (the Amazon sales game is all about reviews which drive rankings) knowing that 50% of any profit will be donated to The Environmental Defense Fund!
#Mexico #sustainbility #adventure #Permaculture #photography #sustainable #travel
PDC’s – Free Online vs. Paid For Location Courses?
PDC’s – Free Online vs. Paid For Location Courses?
Ever wondered why on-location Permaculture Certification Courses (PDC’s) charge the big bucks, while their kissing’ cousins, online PDC courses, are free, or practically nothing to “attend”?
The following is an excellent general primer on PDC’s, and explains clearly and fully why live PDC’s are well worth spending your hard earned pesos on: (click link)
Urban Permaculture in the Mexican Highlands
I’d like to share an inspired project friends of ours Seth & Cris Phillips and their daughter Katia, have going in Guanajuato, a jewel of a city in Mexico’s central highlands.
Several years ago Seth & Cris purchased their large, rundown city lot in the heart of bustling Guanajuato and set to work. The first couple of years were spent tearing down numerous, decrepit, old adobe structures, and creating a comfortable house and guest cottage in their stead. Where most “normal” people would have done away with the old adobe, Seth, a committed recycler, painstakingly stacked and saved the adobe blocks which have since been repurposed into a beautiful expansion of the living space. Over the years the family has also created wonderful Permaculture gardens and other systems (although I don’t think I’ve ever heard Seth or Cris call it that exactly).
Seth, Cris, Katya & Pecos at home in their urban garden…
Every time Holly & I visit there are fun new additions to take in, and we always find the project inspiring in its modestly. In particular, and unlike me, Seth is a minimalist who always searches out low tech solutions to energy & water usage challenges. While swapping ideas, we often share a friendly partier about his ultra basic approach vs. the more costly and complicated solutions I am usually prone to. “Why go to the time and expense of building an elaborate solar cooker”, Seth will chide me, “when a simple foil reflector blanket and black, cast iron pot can cook almost anything”? Hmmm, perhaps he has a point!
During the early renovations Seth created grey water storage and a network of direct irrigation channels and tubing to help sustain the various plantings during Guanajuato’s dry stretches which can last for months on end. Gradually, shade from the 30+ fruit trees is replacing the harsh noontime glare, and the walled, interior garden space is now a profusion of vegetable gardens, pathways, and chicken coops. Every day Seth feeds the chickens buckets of fruits and vegetables discarded from the neighborhood fruteria. Once a week the resulting organic material is shoveled out of the chicken run and into a compost that is used to improve the soil.
The Gardens…
Along the way Seth has also puttered around with various low tech energy saving add-ons including a home-made solar food dehydrator, solar water heater, solar distiller, a rocket oven, a “humanure” style composting toilet, and a hay box cooker.
The most recent addition is a 20,000 litre water collection cistern capable of spanning the ever longer water outages the city suffers.
As the oasis grows greener, Seth and Cris remain committed to simplicity and a pragmatic yet seemingly joyful exploration a the good life, right there, in the heart of the city!
Sustainable Travel, Volunteering, & Living in Mexico
Thoughts on the pursuit of living sustainably SOB (south of the border), plus a vetted listing of cultural, environmental, and educational programs where you can actively give back to the environment and local communities that you visit while in Mexico!
Do you want to make your trip to Mexico truly memorable and one of meaning? Do you want to contribute to real sustainability while having fun and seeing the country? If so, then this post is for you!
The following is a listing of places where your touring dollar or volunteering efforts can really make a difference. These listings are not typical eco-tourist destinations operating loosely under the guise of being “green” or culturally beneficial. Rather, these sites all have proactive environmental sustainability, education, or relief services as core aspects of their operating mission. These organizations have been individually selected and vetted as places where you can enhance your experience of mexico by actively participating in legitimate projects that really do provide a benefit to the planet.
Please note that many of these locations are working organic farms, ranches, research field stations, schools, etc. and, as such, take volunteers or other visitors on an advanced approval basis only. Unless noted, please be sure to contact the site ahead to make any necessary arrangements for your visit.
I hope that you’ll comment on your experiences, and suggest your own secret spots for helping to have (our) touring dollars & volunteering efforts make a positive difference! This list will be updated frequently and your suggestions will be added. Please provide links, or any other contact info in the comments section (click on comments bubble above).
Bien Viaje! Enjoy the tour!
Pacific Coast
Nearest City: Tepic / Sayulita
Type of Visit: school + center for preservation of indigenous peoples (Huichol) / volunteer work exchange (2 month min. + spanish). Advance arrangements suggested
Name: The Huichol Center for Cultural Survival
website/ http://www.thehuicholcenter.org/about-us/
contact info: Susana Valadez huicholcenter@juno.com
****************
State: Jalisco (El Tuito)
Nearest City: Puerto Vallarta
Type of Visit: eco tourism + education / extensive tropical gardens & organic restaurant. No advance booking required.
Name: Vallarta Botanical Gardens
website: http://www.vbgardens.org
contact info: info@vbgardens.org
From within Mexico: 322-223-6182 From outside of Mexico: 011-52-322-223-6182
****************
State: Jalisco (Mayto)
Nearest City: Puerto Vallarta / El Tuito
Type of Visit: working organic ranch + campground / guided horse, botanical and educational tours / volunteer work exchange programs (10 day min. – by application) + longer internships & homesteading options
Name: Rancho Sol y Mar
website/ www.ranchosolymar.com
contact info: ranchosolymar@gmail.com
****************
State: Jalisco (Mayto)
Nearest City: Puerto Vallarta / El Tuito
Type of Visit: Turtle Research Camp / nightly turtle releases in season (no advance booking required). Volunteer work exchange programs (contact for further info)
Name: Campamento de Tortugas
website: http://www.facebook.com/campamentomayto
contact info: israel_llamas@hotmail.com
****************
State/Region: Jalisco / Lake Chapala
Nearest City: Chapala
Type of Visit: eco farm + education + community development / volunteer work exchange
Name: Acá Centro Ecológico
Website: www.greatgreens.org
Contact Info: Mari Prudent marimexico@gmail.com
Baja Peninsula (California Sur)
State: Baja (Cal Sur)
Nearest City: Cabo San Lucas
Type of Visit: eco tourism / working organic farm / eco visit or volunteer work exchange
Name: Rancho La Venta
Website: http://www.rancholaventa.com/RanchoLaVenta/Home.html
Contact info: rancholaventa1@me.com
****************
State: Baja
Nearest City: San Jose Del Cabo
Type of Visit: wellness / creative arts center + organic farm + CSA / volunteer work exchange
Name: La Semilla / Raices y Brasos
Website: http://raicesybrazos.com/la-semilla/
Contact: local #: (624) 142-3794 US #: (802) 734-9808
****************
State/Region: Baja
Nearest City: Tiajuana
Type of Visit: Cattle Ranch being converted to organic farm / volunteer work exchange
Name: El Papalote
Contact Info: 52+661-100-0000 (land) 52-1-664-194-7514 (cell)
****************
State/Region: Baja California Sur
Nearest City: La Ribera
Type of Visit: botanical gardens / teaching center / volunteer work exchange
Name: Buena Fortuna Jardin Botanico
Website (blog) http://buenafortunapermaculture.wordpress.com
Contact Info: seeds.forever@gmail.com
Central + South Central Highlands
State: Guanajuato
Nearest City: San Miquel de Allende
Type of Visit: center for sustainability & appropriate technology workshops (contact for workshop schedules)
Name: iCATIS Mexico / Instituto Tierra y Cal
Website: http://www.icatis.org/catis-mexico
Contact info: Dylan Terrell dylan@icatis.org
****************
State: Oaxaca
Nearest City: Oaxaca
Type of Visit: off grid living / volunteer in exchange for learning about solar, chickens bee keeping, and grey water
Name: Sn Fco Lachigoló
Contact info: Daniel Ellsworth 52-1-951-142-1849
****************
State/Region: Oaxaca
Nearest City: Oaxaca
Type of Visit: urban / relief work with children, primarily education. No advance necessary.
Name: Oaxaca Streetchildren Grassroots
Website/Contact Info: http://www.oaxacastreetchildrengrassroots.org yjimenez@oaxacastreetchildrengrassroots.org
****************
State/Region: Oaxaca
Nearest City(Guevea de Humboldt)
Type of Visit: organic coffee plantation / volunteer work exchange
Name: Linda Vista / ConDoy Coffee Farm
Website (blog): http://condoycafe.wordpress.com
****************
State/Region: Michoacan (Lake Pátzcuaro)
Nearest City: Pátzcuaro
Type of Visit: organic permaculture farm / retreat center / volunteer work exchange (2 wk. min.
Name: Bosque Village
Website/Contact info: bosquevillage@gmail.com
****************
State: Mexico
Nearest City: Malinalco / Tenancingo / Mexico City (D.F.)
Type of Visit: organic farm, school & retreat center / volunteer work exchange
Name: Rancho Cazahuate
website: www.centronierika.net
Contact Info: Anya Loizaga Velder www.ecomundi.info or
****************
State: Chiapas (Teopisca)
Nearest City: San Cristóbal de Las Casas
Type of Visit: non-profit farm & community development / volunteer work exchange (1 month min.)
Name: El Porvenir
Website/Contact info: 52+9671107386 
/ 52+1+ 9671149914(cell)
****************
State/Region: Morelos
Nearest City: Amatlan
Type of Visit: Yoga/Healing Center
Name: Garden of Eden Healing Community
Website/Contact Info: http://www.moving-overseas-guide.com/2012-awakening.html
Yucatan Peninsula + Chiapas
State: Quintana Roo (Tulum)
Nearest City: Cancun / Playa Del Carmen
Type of Visit: Eco tourism, biological reserve park & lodging. Nature Tours. Reservations suggested.
Name: Sian Ka’an Bio Reserva
Website/Contact info: (http://www.visitsiankaan.com)
****************
State: Quintanaroo
Nearest City: Playa Del Carmen
Type of Visit: Working organic farm / volunteer work exchange, 2 wk min.
Name: Tumbem Ha
Website: http://www.tumbenha.com(http://www.facebook.com/TumbenHa)
Contact info: alexis@tumbenha.com
****************
State/Region: Yucatan
Nearest City: Vallodolid / Merida / Cancun
Type of Visit: Sustainability courses / volunteer work exchange (3 wk. min.)
Name: Lodgecol
Website: lodgecol.com
****************
State: Qintana Roo
Nearest City: Cancun
Type of Visit: Environmental & cultural educational tours offered (fee).
Name: Project Mayan Encounter
website: (http://accessecotours.com/tours_7.html)
****************
State/Region: Chiapas
Nearest City: San Cristóbal de Las Casas
Type of Visit: After school student center in indigenous Mayan Community.
Name: La Chozita / Chiapas Children’s Project
Website: http://www.lachozita.org/ourwork.html
****************
Contact Info: info@lachozita.org
State/Region: Chiapas
Nearest City: Teopisca
Type of Visit: Education, community development, environmental protection
Name: El Porvenir
Contact Info: 52+9671107386
****************
Nearest City: Playa Del Carmen
Type of Visit: rustic organic farm / volunteer work exchange
Name: Tumben Kuxtal
contact info: 52-1-998-133-4486
Gulf Coast
State: Veracruz
Nearest City: Xalapa
Type of Visit: aquaponics classes / urban organic farm / volunteer work exchange
Name: Semilla Verde
website/contact info: http://www.facebook.com/semilla.huertoshidroponicos
Northern States
State: Chihuahua
Nearest City: Juarez
Type of Visit: orphanage / volunteer work exchange
Name: Rancho Los Amigos
contact info: Patti Kidd ph: 407-232-3009
****************
State/Region: Nuevo Leon
Nearest City: Monterey
Type of Visit: Relief Work (distribution of food & clothing)
Name: Ammac
Website: http://www.ammac.com.mx/#!inicio/mainPage
Contact Info: Info@ammac.com.mx
****************
State/Region: Sonora
Nearest City: Puerto Penasco
Type of Visit: medical clinic staffing
Name: Manos de Ayuda
Website/Contact Info: webmaster@manosdeayuda.org U.S. (520) 760-8645
Pay-For Volunteer Programs
State: Various
Nearest City: N/A
Type of Visit: Pay-for volunteer programs (teaching, medical, schools, etc. – $270 U.S. per week to participate)
Name: International Volunteer HQ
website/contact info: International Volunteer Head Quarters (volunteerhq.org)
****************
S State: Various
Nearest City: N/A
Type of Visit: Pay-for volunteer programs (promote peace & justice, work with children – $2,295 U.S. per week to participate)
Name: Global Volunteers
website/contact info: (www.globalvolunteers.org)
****************
State: Nayarit & Jalisco
Nearest City: Puerto vallarta
Type of Visit: Pay-for conservation, cultural, and ecology-oriented “expeditions”.
Name: EcoTeach
website/contact info: http:
//www.ecoteach.com/announcing-new-opportunities-to-see-turtles-in-mexico/
****************
State: Various
Nearest City: N/A
Type of Visit: 72 listings for (mostly) pay-for volunteer service organizations operating in Mexico!
Name: GoAbroad
website/contact info: http://www.goabroad.com
****************
State/Region: Various
Nearest City: N/A
Type of Visit: Eco tours + some coordination with local NGO’s for more extensive volunteer / service options.
Name: Glocal Travel
Website/Contact Info: info@glocaltravel.net http://www.glocaltravel.net
Passive Eco Tourism Destinations
In researching this post I came across numerous quasi eco tourist establishments that adorn themselves with green labeling but have little if anything to offer in the way of active environmental or cultural payback. Following is a link to tourist resort properties that appear to be offering truly low impact, mostly sustainable amenities, even if they don’t offer opportunities for active service.
http://www.eco-tropicalresorts.com/centralamerica/mexico.htm
Our Solar Story; one couple’s journey in search of solar living…
Me wrapping up the array install. The home made racking system saved $ and functions well, but ended up being a major pain to install
Note: the following post describes, step by step, how my wife & I went from total solar neophytes, to living completely off grid and harnessing the power of the sun for its help with much of the daily work and comfortable lifestyle we enjoy here in Mexico. I’ve included a fair amount of techno speak for those who, as I once was, are craving the empowerment of understanding and implementing solar, but are struggling though some of the initial phases. Readers are encouraged to post questions or comments about the systems or processes described here in that all questions, no matter how basic, may be of some help to others that follow…
The first couple of winters visiting the property we had purchased near Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific coast of Mexico (2005-2007), my wife Holly & I were still in the process of securing title, and thus reluctant to put any money into infrastructure improvements. The modest, one bedroom mexican ranch house we occupied had one existing 15 watt solar panel direct wired to a 12v marine battery and running one long string of 12v incandescent lights when we bought it. Despite twelve hour days of cloudless skies, we had, at best, an hour of light once the sun went down. For refrigeration we parked our faithful old pickup truck camper next to the house and used the onboard dometic gas refrigerator. Around that time I had launched and was chairing a municipal energy commission back in the states, and was growing increasingly interested in sustainability in general, and solar in particular.
By the second winter, we hand carried down three Sunsei 17w panels and I began learning about charge controllers, inverters, and the always dreaded “voltage drop”. At that early stage of learning, it took quite a while to figure out that voltage drop inherent with using the existing #12AWG house wiring for 12v, combined with a tired old marine starting battery, far too small solar panel array, and energy sucking incandescent bulbs, were all conspiring to keep us literally “in the dark”.
“Poco a poco” (little by little) is a favorite expression of our mexican neighbors, and poco a poco it was learning the ins and outs of solar. Around the second year in, a mexican neighbor told me he knew of someone with some panels, and soon four Sharp 175‘s, of unknown origins, were purchased for a good price, and stored safe & sound in our rickety goat shed. Using the SEI guide “Photovoltaics Design & Installation Manual” plus help from Lee Consavage, an engineer friend, and other input from online chat groups such as Arizona Wind & Sun, I began designing our first real PV system. Finally, after stumbling int the dark – literally – we were well on our way to a brighter future! On the next trip SOB (south of the border), Holly and brought down in our carry-on luggage an Outback MX60 Charge Controller, a 1000watt Go-Power inverter, and miscellaneous fuse blocks and cable connections. Three sweaty days later, much of which was spent crouching gingerly atop spanish roof tiles, drilling holes through cement walls, and making numerous, nervous, electrical decisions well above my pay grade, I flipped the switch, and lo-and-behold, “the miracle of the ranch” had finally occurred! Truly; seeing that little green light go on for the first time, hearing the gentle hum of the inverter, and realizing that we were now sucking power, real power, 120v power sufficient to run ample lights, a small 7cubic foot refrigerator, blender for margueritas, play music, and charge computers, right out of the sky, right out of the either, felt as close to something miraculous as I expect I’ll ever experience!
Since those early days, we have upgraded our batteries from the original 4 trojan T 105’s and now have 8 Trojan L-16’s for over 700amp hrs @ 24volts DC, plus a larger, 1500watt Xantrex inverter to run a heavier duty washing machine than we had originally. Still, even with the larger battery capacity, we rely on a small, portable gen set to top off the batteries from time to time in extended periods of rain during the summer months.
A note on inverters: 1500watts with a 2000peak load capacity seems to be the break point providing enough amperage to run a decent size washing machine and virtually any home power tool except a welder. Pure sign wave inverters run quieter and provide cleaner power, while the more economical modified inverters tend to hum, both the unit itself, as well as through stereos and certain other electronics. We have also experienced two appliances that wouldn’t run at all on the Xantrex modified sine wave inverter; a yogurt maker, and also a dehydrator which actually burned out as a result.
Fast forward another year from building the original house system, and I had completed my NABSEP coursework from the AltE learning center in Hudson Massachusetts, and I was ready to take on much more significant solar project. By this time Holly and I had also expanded our vision for the ranch to include an off-grid campground, solar water pumping & heating, and various other projects. In the fall of 2009 we both sold our companies (I had been a commercial architectural photographer and Holly had a financial planning firm) and we committed ourselves to the dream of living and promoting sustainability full time. Currently we rent out our house in New England most of the year and we’re forging ahead with creating a broader scope, regional, sustainability center. Our ongoing projects include building with stone, compressed earth block, & other local material, organic farming & gardening, goat cheese production, composting, tree planting, water recycling, biofuels experimentation, and numerous other initiatives.
In the winter of 2009/2010 we learned to mix mud for adobe, and with much help from visiting family & friends, and our mexican neighbors, we built the campground bath house and solar shed which houses showers, bathrooms, a laundry room, a workroom, the 2.4kw solar array, an Outback 3600w pure sine wave inverter, sixteen Trojan L16 batteries for 700amp/hrs at 48volts, and the balance of the electrical system. Our campground “Camping Sol y Mar” (Camping Sun & Sea) is, as far as we know, the first completely off grid campground with RV hookup sights in the americas, if not the world. This winter are building on a new backpacker bunkhouse, and with that in place will begin hosting workshops and work exchange Volunteers.
putting the finishig touches on the campground bath house and solar array instal.
The entire project has been a huge learning curve but we have an increasingly steady stream of adventure campers and wonderful volunteer work exchange participants using the facilities. In addition to the solar which produces up to 15kw per day (enough to budget 2kw for each of the 5 hookup sites – sized for small to mid-sized campers – plus a couple more kw for a modest sized cheese cooler for Holly’s goat cheese making operation, the building also boasts solar hot water showers, and grey & black water recycling systems. The increasingly “edible” campground also features an herb spiral, rapidly growing fruit trees (see “Eat This Campground! post below) and a natural wood fired pizza oven coming online soon Thank you Katy & Alex, our amazing summer caretakers this year! ).
Finished 2.4kw system inside adobe bath house at campground. i decided against using a battery enclosure due to having plenty of open air venting and to help keep temperatures as low as possible.
I wish I could say it’s been easy and smooth getting this far. Sometimes it feels as though every step is a battle. Attempting to cut costs, I opted for creating my own array racking. Big mistake! The thousand dollars saved cost me countless hours piecing together a custom aluminum framework on a completely uneven roof made from timber milled with a chain saws and machetes. Simple tools like a drill bit and bolts long enough to through-bolt the 6” timbers all had to be brought down from the states as needed. After my experience of working atop spanish tiles on our home system, I opted to leave off having tiles under the bath house array, and instead lay down a roofing of clear polycarbonate laminate. Constructing this, and making it all waterproof and structural enough for potential hurricane force wind loading turned out to be incredibly tedious, and much more of a project that I had ever bargained for. Still, the roof works really well, in that it provides nice passive daylight to the workroom below where the rest of the system is housed, as well as the fact that the laminate stays perfectly cool under the panels, even on the hottest of days.
long view of campground and finished bath house with land scaping starting to come in…
Yet another error I made was the purchase of the Outback FX inverter rather than GV model. The FX series won’t accept the voltage vagaries of supplemental charging from generator backup (a subtle distinction missed by both myself, and the sales agent that recommended the FX unit for my specific application). Outback was kind enough to supply me with a replacement board to convert the FX model since bringing the inverter back to the states for replacement was impossible. Still the changeover meant dismantling the guts of the system after it had been already been completed.
Occasionally my wife and I ask ourselves, “if we had it all to do over, would we simply have tied in to the power lines less than 100 yards away?” That definitely would have been the easier, less expensive route to take. But
then we realize that if we’d wanted easy, we would’ve been better off just staying in the states. Rancho Sol y Mar increasingly is our home now anyway. A crazy, inventor friend of ours just finished building us a fuel alcohol still, so tackling renewable transportation is the next learning curve looming. We also have 100‘s of fruit & coconut trees planted, a small, first crop of corn coming up, and loving, productive, adorable animals on all sides, Our dream of 100% independent living is increasingly becoming a reality. We realize we’re a little crazy, and a more normal life would be easier, however were strapped in now, and taking the ride. I guess that as long as the sun keeps shining, we’ll be here in Mexico seeking to sustain ourselves and others from it!
View of campground and Mayto Beach.
Purchasing Property in Mexico
Purchasing Property In Mexico
Thinking of heading south of the border with dreams of homesteading? Don’t know how buying a choice little piece of land to farm could fit into the equation? Well, the great news is that yes, you can do it! Purchasing property in the interior of Mexico is very affordable, very do-able, and an excellent alternative for many reasons (see “secret sustainability” post below…). It’s actually really easy. Here’s how:
Property in Mexico is affordable and has minimal taxation or other carrying costs.
1) Obviously, step one is finding your spot. Take your time, do your homework, and take at least a month to travel around the area you’re interested in. Travel by bus is easy and affordable in latin america, the people are incredibly friendly, and there are plenty of others travelers out there who you will meet on the road. Holly and I knew the country fairly well before starting, but still spent a month in a rental car, touring the Pacific coast within 150 miles of a key transport hub, Puerto Vallarta, before settling on the exact spot where we ended up taking root.
2) Once you have a property in mind, be certain to seek out a reputable notario in the area near where you are considering purchasing. Make sure you talk to a registered “notario”, not a regular abogado (lawyer). Also note that real estate agents in Mexico aren’t licensed and there are many agents peddling property without oversight or exclusivity, so if questions come up, the notario is the person to confer with, not a real estate agent. Always check with a Notario first before making a commitment to anyone! Most city’s have english speaking Notario’s available.
3) Once you’ve settled on a place that you know to be titled (having an escritura), have the notario you are working with review all title doc’s to make sure there are no liens. (Usually a small deposit will hold while doc’s are reviewed. Title insurance is available from U.S. based company, Stewart Title).
4) Next have said Notario write up a “Compra y Venta” sales agreement, and then proceed with purchase… Bank $ transfers are straight forward, Titles are usually issued within several days.
*************************************
Purchasing near the Coast
Condominium properties or titled private properties located in the restricted zone and less than 2000sq meters can easily and safely be put into a Mexican bank trust (Fideicomiso). The process is basically the same as above however title will be issued in the banks name with you named as the beneficiary (trust are generally 99year term & renewable).
Palm trees & powder white sand, Tulum.
Problem Properties
For ejido property without previous title, or purchase of larger land tracts in the federal restricted zone (within 50 km of the coast), property purchase can get a bit more tricky. For other, more problematic purchase, almost anything is possible although the process can be long and grueling. Read on…
**************************************
The following is offered as a quick start trouble shooting guide to any foreign nationals considering the purchase of ejido, or recently privatized ejido property, or property in the restricted zone. Blogger MexDog assumes no responsibility for accuracy as the rules change over time, and even by region/municipality. Make certain to seek advice from at least one reputable Notario before committing more funds than you’re willing to lose!
1) Any deal to purchase property that is still part of an ejido should be considered RISKY. Regardless of what you may be told, using a mexican national as presta nombre (borrowed name) or any other means to purchase ejido property in the restricted zone can never be a fail safe proposition regardless of having Powers of Attorney or a Will in place. While many people have successfully “owned” property for years in the name of a prestanombre, there seems to be increasing financial/development pressure that is making that vehicle for holding property ever less stable over time.
2) The litmus for determining if property is actually private, and not still part of the ejido, is possession of an escritura (title) for the parcela or lot from RAN in name of the ejiditario property owner.
(Note that property can be titled and owned privately by an ejido member (ejiditario) without still being part of the ejido land holdings). Privataization can be accomplished through either the Procede “regularization” or dominio pleno process only). Any deals involving property said to be “about to be privatized” should be approached with extreme caution – if at all.)
4) It is advisable that any deposit money paid should be accompanied by a formal compra y venta agreement, best reviewed by a Public Notario’s office. A formal compra y venta will be drawn up for privately titled property only, not ejido property. Any purchase agreement other than a formal, approved compra y venta shoud be consider extremely risky. Consideration should also be given to the facts that realtors aren’t licensed, escrow accounts are rarely used, and that even deposit money accompanied by a formal compra y venta may be at some risk.
Note here also that even with a compra y venta agreement in place, all members of the ejido are constitutionally entitled to a first right of refusal before the first sale of a property out of the ejido.
5) Final purchase, payment, and transfer of title should be conducted under the supervision of a Public Notario’s office only.
6) Final deeds and ownership will be in the name of either a bank trust (fideicomiso) or mexican corporation, not in the name of the foreign national directly, and title insurance is available once the final deed is issued, approximately 2 to 6 months after closing.
secret sustainability south of the border
View of beautiful Mayto Beach from the first hill.
Rancho Sol y Mar (www.ranchosolymar.com)
Thinking of moving off the grid? Starting an organic farm or CSA? Are you part of a group considering pooling resources and homesteading together?
Well, shhhh-h-h-h, come closer, I’ve got a few well guarded secrets I can share with you…
Secreto Numero Uno: get your hippi ass south of the border! Be it Mexico, Costa Rica, Columbia, or wherever, there are many reasons that you should consider the southern option. The reasons? Listen in:
Reason #1: Two to Three growing seasons. Yes, you can find extended growing in the southern U.S., but 1000 miles south of Texas you really do get an entire second or even third season. What’s not to love about growing outdoors, year round!
Reason #2: The cost of land & living. Land is cheaper (well maybe not Costa Rica anymore), but equally important for the long haul is that property taxes are nearly zero. On our one hundred acres we pay a whopping $200 a year. Tell me that doesn’t help with the bottom line! And while some things like farm & solar equipment are expensive there, once you have property you are allowed a one time exemption to bring a moving van’s worth of “household goods” into Mexico without import taxes. Also, the cost of ongoing basic staple goods is roughly half what one pays in the U.S.
Reason #3: Save energy and reduce your carbon footprint: So how much of your precious time and energy do you want to spend every year preparing for the coming winter? 30%? 40% 50% or even higher??? Well how does 0% sound as an option for you? If you are situated in Mexico or further south, the cost of winter is a thing of the past. And then there are the ethics and nuisance factors of winter heating to consider. How much of your life’s energy, not to mention the planet’s carbon resources, do you really want to spend on heating you home, or even, in extremes climes, avoiding the possibility of freezing to death?
Reason #4: Less Regulation: Face it amigos, you just can’t fart in the U.S. anymore without a permit! Seriously, come south of the border and you’ll discover a sense of freedom you would never have dreamed of. Whether you plan to sell in a farmer’s market such as one of the three or four thriving ones in Puerto Vallarta alone, or if you’re planning a CSA, selling to restaurant’s, simply just growing for yourself, you can count on minimal regulation once you’ve crossed the border and made your way south.
Reason #5: Security in the face of what lies ahead. Really, you ask? Is he really suggesting that life in Mexico can be more secure than life here in the good olde U.S.A.??? Well, yes, actually, I am. As for the narco violence, there are a few simple, common sense rules to be followed such as staying out of the areas of drug production or major transport corridors. The vast majority of the violence I hear about is limited to three or four states, and even with that, it’s the narcos and cops getting perforated, not tourists, travelers, or organic veggie farmers. (I could go on and on about this subject, but will save that for another post…). So what do I mean by security for what lies ahead? Well, the way I see it, if the energy infrastructure gets disrupted for one of any number of reasons (troubles in the middle east, peak oil, climate change) then simply surviving, let alone thriving anywhere north of 30 – 40 degrees north latitude could get really expensive if not downright impossible. Personally, I’d rather build my life’s dream infrastructure in a place with great public transport, and where access to cheap energy is a bonus, not a necessity!
Reason #6: Sun, sun, sun… Viva El Sol! And boy do we have plenty of it. We make our electricity with it, heat & pump water with it, cook with it, and even sterilize with it. Yes, of course there’s sun in Arizona, but 1000+ miles south, it get’s even better. Just one of our photovoltaic systems alone, a mere 2.4kw array, produces close to 15kw on a sunny day. Sweet! So come on down and start farming those photons…
Reason #7: Affordable Help. Let’s face it, you can’t, or don’t want do, do it all yourself. At 200 – 300 pesos a day ($15-$25 U.S.), it’s possible to get excellent, flexible help as you need it. We always make sure to pay above the going rate, and we have gotten terrific, reliable help for all the special projects that inevitably pop up! For one longer term employee we pay all the required social security taxes and withholdings, and, all told, including accounting & filing fees, the extra cost still comes out to only around $1000 per year, (not counting the wages paid). Get the help you need at truly affordable prices!
Reason #8: Quality of Life. Having shuttled back and forth, splitting parts of the year between the two worlds for nearly a decade now, I can with some authority that QOL south of the border is, in general, superior. Yes there are issues with sanitation, schooling, crime and such, but over all life there is really sweet. The Mexican people are, on the whole, far more open, warm and friendly to strangers than has been my experience in the northern countries, and the pace of life, much more focused on friends and family, is more relaxed, and even festive, than north of the line.
Secreto Numero Dos: The really good news is that if you’re still not convinced, there’s a secret spot I can tell you about where you can come dip your toe in the water (literally) and try the idea on first before plunging in. You, our new amigos are cordially invited to come spend some time with us in beautiful Mayto! Our off grid goat ranch + sustainability center has a campground where you can beat the winter and hang out for a while. We also have work exchange programs, internships, and even the possibility of homesteading or other longer term involvement. Check us out! http://www.ranchosolymar.com
Eat This Campground!
View of the campground bath house and Mayto Beach…
Well, it’s really happening! We now have our sign up, and Camping Sol y Mar (Camping Sun & Sea – http://www.ranchosolymar.com) is finally launched. Situated 300 yards back from the gorgeous, pristine beach of Mayto, Mexico (state of Jalisco, 2 hours south of Puerto Vallarta) Camping Sol y Mar is to our knowledge, the world’s first 100% off grid campground with solar powered RV hookup sites. And yet another first, thanks to the new herb spiral created by Katy & Alex, Camping Sol y Mar is also now the world’s first “edible campground”. That in addition to the bananas, mangos, coco’s and other plantings, well on their way to fruity fruition. Oh, and did I mention the new clay pizza oven that Alex is working on? Getting hungry yet? well then there’s just one solution – come camp with us in Mayto this winter!
Our Mission Statement…
Mission Statement:
“To provide a source of income and good jobs for the community. To promote sustainable construction and living practices. To foster education. To help connect visitors with local residents”
Holly & I feel that we have been given and incredible opportunity with this property and the above mission statement is the beacon that guides us. Rancho Sol y Mar, has an ongoing interest in trading care-taking responsibilities or project help for housing, shared business opportunities, or other compensation. Together with friends, family, and other participants, we are forming a flexible, working community based on common goals and open spirit.
Sustainable Mexico! 
