History
In 1977, Ray Chasser had a dream of creating a space to be with the Earth and live sustainably with his family in the heart of the Little Haiti neighborhood of Miami. Previously, Ray had worked with his father in a used furniture store in the area. The first property Ray acquired caught his eye because of an extraordinary Gumbo Limbo tree. Ray gradually purchased eleven parcels of land, one property at a time, until he had a two-acre oasis of native tropical plants and a variety of communal living spaces.
The first residents of the original property at Earth n Us Farm was Ray’s sister Shawnee Chasser and her two kids Wren and Joshua Levy. They lived there while Ray renovated a nearby house for his wife Teresa Chaser and two kids Marney and Justin Chasser (two more kids would be born at the Farm several years later, Aubrey and Sarah Chasser). A substantial garden was immediately established by the families, including the planting of many edible fruit trees. An animal sanctuary with goats, chickens, bees, emus and a pig was lovingly created. The Farm became a lively center of community activities, including a weekly volleyball game and tours of the Farm for visitors interested in sustainable living.
Throughout the 1980s, the Farm began to draw several more residents who strongly resonated with Ray’s vision and Ray’s father Al Chasser (affectionately known as “Poppi”) also moved in. During that era, the Farm began to attract the attention of residents in the surrounding impoverished neighborhood and the City of Miami. In 1988, Ray and Shawnee made a vegetarian lunch for the City of Miami council members to introduce city officials to the mission and vision of the Farm (this was publicized by CNN). That same year, after Shawnee's persistent work at establishing a relationship, the Miami-Dade Public School system began sending groups of school children to the Farm for field trips focused on environmental sustainability. Popular field trip topics included organic gardening, bee-keeping, animal husbandry and vegetarianism.
During the 1990s, there was significant growth in the community at the Farm, with a very diverse cast of formal rent-paying residents, shorter-terms visitors, and travelers falling in love with the Farm. In 1991, the legendary three-story, 24-foot Treehouse was envisioned by Shawnee and built by Ray (it has been added to over the years). Around that time, teenage Wren began hosting regular drum circles in honor of the full moon. A short-lived community café serving mostly vegan food by donation was established. Local musicians and famous musicians including Al Dimiola and Magda Hiller performed at gatherings. National Geographic even featured the Farm in the “Unusual Places to Visit” publication. Over that decade, the Farm firmly developed a reputation as a safe, free space to visit. Visitors to the Farm would typically exclaim, “This feels like home” whether from the Caribbean or the Pacific Northwest. However, the reality of the poverty, crime and violence in the surrounding neighborhood sets the Farm apart from many other well-known intentional communities. The way the neighborhood kids flock to the Farm after school and weekends is testimony to how the Farm inadvertently serves as a unique oasis “in the midst of the surrounding madness.”
At the dawn of the 21st century, the Farm blossomed as an urban ecovillage…kind of. There is no official community agreement that residents sign or vow they make before calling the Farm home. However, residents and visitors are highly encouraged to garden, feed the animals, mentor neighborhood kids, engage in sustainable living projects, keep an eye on the Farm and pay rent. In 2009, the Farm was put on the map by becoming part of the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farm (WWOOF) network. WWOOFers who visit the Farm do work-exchange of approximately four hours per day in exchange for their residence (typically tent or hammock). There is a green preschool on site. There is a bicycle cooperative. There is a weekly potluck. There is are women’s circles. There is a Sacred Economics study group. There are still drum circles. Current residents as well as old-school friends of the Farm continue to meet for volleyball after all these years. And as the activities at the Farm may change with the ebb and flow of residents, Ray continues to garden, prolifically.
The first residents of the original property at Earth n Us Farm was Ray’s sister Shawnee Chasser and her two kids Wren and Joshua Levy. They lived there while Ray renovated a nearby house for his wife Teresa Chaser and two kids Marney and Justin Chasser (two more kids would be born at the Farm several years later, Aubrey and Sarah Chasser). A substantial garden was immediately established by the families, including the planting of many edible fruit trees. An animal sanctuary with goats, chickens, bees, emus and a pig was lovingly created. The Farm became a lively center of community activities, including a weekly volleyball game and tours of the Farm for visitors interested in sustainable living.
Throughout the 1980s, the Farm began to draw several more residents who strongly resonated with Ray’s vision and Ray’s father Al Chasser (affectionately known as “Poppi”) also moved in. During that era, the Farm began to attract the attention of residents in the surrounding impoverished neighborhood and the City of Miami. In 1988, Ray and Shawnee made a vegetarian lunch for the City of Miami council members to introduce city officials to the mission and vision of the Farm (this was publicized by CNN). That same year, after Shawnee's persistent work at establishing a relationship, the Miami-Dade Public School system began sending groups of school children to the Farm for field trips focused on environmental sustainability. Popular field trip topics included organic gardening, bee-keeping, animal husbandry and vegetarianism.
During the 1990s, there was significant growth in the community at the Farm, with a very diverse cast of formal rent-paying residents, shorter-terms visitors, and travelers falling in love with the Farm. In 1991, the legendary three-story, 24-foot Treehouse was envisioned by Shawnee and built by Ray (it has been added to over the years). Around that time, teenage Wren began hosting regular drum circles in honor of the full moon. A short-lived community café serving mostly vegan food by donation was established. Local musicians and famous musicians including Al Dimiola and Magda Hiller performed at gatherings. National Geographic even featured the Farm in the “Unusual Places to Visit” publication. Over that decade, the Farm firmly developed a reputation as a safe, free space to visit. Visitors to the Farm would typically exclaim, “This feels like home” whether from the Caribbean or the Pacific Northwest. However, the reality of the poverty, crime and violence in the surrounding neighborhood sets the Farm apart from many other well-known intentional communities. The way the neighborhood kids flock to the Farm after school and weekends is testimony to how the Farm inadvertently serves as a unique oasis “in the midst of the surrounding madness.”
At the dawn of the 21st century, the Farm blossomed as an urban ecovillage…kind of. There is no official community agreement that residents sign or vow they make before calling the Farm home. However, residents and visitors are highly encouraged to garden, feed the animals, mentor neighborhood kids, engage in sustainable living projects, keep an eye on the Farm and pay rent. In 2009, the Farm was put on the map by becoming part of the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farm (WWOOF) network. WWOOFers who visit the Farm do work-exchange of approximately four hours per day in exchange for their residence (typically tent or hammock). There is a green preschool on site. There is a bicycle cooperative. There is a weekly potluck. There is are women’s circles. There is a Sacred Economics study group. There are still drum circles. Current residents as well as old-school friends of the Farm continue to meet for volleyball after all these years. And as the activities at the Farm may change with the ebb and flow of residents, Ray continues to garden, prolifically.