Roman and Ioana (@AlternativeHouse) visited a tiny home in France that was part of an ambitious agricultural collective.
The owner, Amber, moved onto the property with three of her other Dutch friends to build a fully self-sustaining lifestyle. They dubbed the project Garden of Freedom. The group raises goats and chickens and grows watermelons, apples, and other produce.
Amber's 20-foot-long home sits on 2.5 hectares of land in Normandy. It needs only a small solar panel, as Amber doesn't have a TV or computer. Inside are a gas stove, a wood stove, and other necessities. She forages nearby to make household tinctures, helping further minimize how much she needs to rely on buying things at the store. Amber makes a modest living by helping a nearby landowner manage horses six hours a week.
Another group member, Tijn, planted a series of trees on raised soil by Amber's home. Tijn hopes that they will create swales that can catch rainwater and diminish soil erosion. Eventually, the group wants to store the water in a pond near the greenhouse.
Amber paid roughly $3,300 for the tiny home and updated the interior with repurposed materials that cost, in her estimation, another $550 to $1,100. Tijn purchased a tiny home for a similar amount but spent more on renovations. Another member lives in a converted Citroën food truck. In a shared main house, the group has access to a fridge and uses the space to eat together, play games, and watch movies.
Amber had a few words of advice for anyone looking to embark on this kind of journey: "With every property we visited, I asked myself the question, 'Do I want to take care of this land?' Because eventually, it will take care of you, with plenty of fruit and vegetables. … I think it's very important to give something back to the land."
Garden of Freedom is an ambitious project, but it shows the potential to save money by living in a tiny home and growing your own food.
YouTube viewers were blown away by what Amber and her friends were doing.
"Very proud of these young people. I hope they inspire other young people. … You don't need much," said one community member.
"Courageous young folk, wishing them success," said another.
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