Help Steve Lee resettle to Missouri

Jamie Jackson is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

I met Steve Lee at a time when I really needed a teacher, but had no money for school. We lived in upstate NY and every few days I'd see him walking down the state highway. There was something intriguing about him, a look of calm unhurriedness.

One day while out driving we saw him walking and my husband and I picked him up. We made friends right away and were invited to his home.

We were always stunned at what this man accomplished with so little and our first experience was seeing his hand made yurt and water collection system. As we got to know him, we found that he freely taught others self-sufficiency, survival skills, sustainable living, herbalism, shamanism, jewelry making and a host of other primitive skills. I confided in him that I wanted to become a medicine woman, but couldn't afford school. He taught me what he knew for free, took me on my first plant walk and taught me skills to set me on my path. He's generous with his time, knowledge, and books, lives intentionally simple and is a wealth of knowledge.

I now own my own small herbal business in Missouri and travel around the state speaking and vending at large and small events; teaching the public about health through herbalism and selling my herbal wares to support our organic herb farm.

We are part of a supportive, like-minded community of permaculture based farmers and land owners that work on watershed issues, operate on a trade economy and equipment sharing and we have started to teach the local community the same type of skills that Steve so generously teaches others.

From Steve Lee: "Having recently turned 60 years old and having lived a subsistence life style, rent free, in the same location for the last 25 years, I now find that my situation with the land owner is uncertain and that my supportive community of like minded people has diminished considerably over the years. With a subsistence income and a lack of places to glean free firewood, it's becoming more and more difficult to get through the harsh N.Y. winters.

All these things considered, the invitation from Jamie & Jeffery's community will afford me a new beginning; providing opportunity to share my lifetime of knowledge & skills with like minded folk, increased potential for marketing my crafts, and most importantly a sense of connection with a community rather than living like hermit."

We think he'd be a wonderful addition to our community and are hoping to raise funds for his cross country move, help him build a small natural home either based on a sand bag, straw bale or cob design and update his 30 year old solar system.

Video of where he might build coming as soon as I can get it finished. We also have a drawing setup at:
Other donated items

Steve has offered his artwork to those that contribute. Feel free to ask for the one you want from the photos below. If it's available, it's yours.

When you donate, I'll be able to send you a thank you note via the private email address provided and get your mailing address and the piece you want.

For the first 30 contributions of $30 and up, you will receive 1 of the 29 available burned design, wooden pendants w/ cordage. These are the pendants that are left as of 04-20-15

For the first 19 contributions of $25 you will receive one of the burned design wooden pendants without cordage:

For the first 30 contributions of $20, you will be sent one of the various wooden pendants w/ out cordage. These wild crafted pieces of wood have interesting grain patterns and shapes. The woods include apple, black locust, sumac, maple knob, bocote, cherry, mulberry, and Japanese knotweed.

Cherry:

Japanese Knotweed:

Mulberry:

Maple:

"Establish a mental attitude towards all things of respect, admiration, overflowing friendliness, encouragement and limitless expectancy." ~ Steve Lee