How dream of off-grid living became a reality

Lauren Beavis meets two members of a self-sufficient Devon community who have embraced the lifestyle

- Lauren Beavis

TWO people who started their own 'van-lif journeys alone and nomadically found joy in communal living, say they 'wouldn't live any other way'

Ember Smith and Steph Gabbadon, both aged 35, started their unique journey living nomadically in separate vans within the same car park, and met three months later.

Four years on, the couple have built two tiny homes in a community based in Totnes, Devon, sourcing recycled materials for the construction of their homes.

As a mother of two from Cheshire, Ember describes this lifestyle change as "a totally different world and way of life, emphasising the sense of community and family they have encountered.

"It has been a really transformative time in terms of forming me as a person," she said. "I had a real craving for the community"

They both got involved with the community through friends who owned the land. After receiving an invitation to visit, Ember was smitten by its "beautiful ethos and ethics'.

"Our friends had bought this land with the intention of creating a community they wanted camaraderie and a support network not based on money, but time, friendship and connection, she explained"The ethos is all about living with the land, so engaging in permaculture working with the land and regenerating it"

The community, housing 15 to 17 individuals, commits to organic production methods. Features such as a 40-foot polytunnel allow them to grow a variety of vegetables, fruits, and cereal crops, enabling self-sufficiency at certain times of the year.

After dedicating their initial year in the community to gathering construction resources, they now have two compact homes where they reside independently. ach abode is equipped with its own loft for the kids, ample storage, ornamental lights, bookshelves, workspace, and a fully functional kitchen and washroom.