A Complete Urban Homestead Tour | Communal Simple and Sustainable Living

Using permaculture design techniques and simple living practices, Robin Greenfield and his team took a standard urban/suburban house and transformed it into a sustainable homestead.
In this video, Robin Greenfield gives a tour of this house and property in the city of Saint Petersburg, Florida, sharing tips to how anybody living in the city can live a more simple and sustainable life.

Robin and team lived at this homestead from January 2021 to June 2021. They lived here as part of a worktrade, improving the space for the owner of the land in exchange for rent. It was always intended as a shorter term project. Robin and team are currently based in Asheville North Carolina as of July 2021.

A huge thanks to all of the interns and volunteers who were a part of this project.


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Produced by Robin Greenfield and Jameson Johnson
Filmed and Edited by Jameson Johnson
Additional Footage by Carly Rundle-Borchert & Julie Verner

Robin Greenfield is a truth-seeker, activist, social reformer and servant to Earth, humanity and our plant and animal relatives. He lives simply and sustainably to be the change he wishes to see in the world. Through living closely connected to Earth, he rejects the status quo of consumerism and demonstrates a way of being in gratitude, mindfulness and presence. His life is an experiment with truth and integrity.

Robin’s public activism involves dramatic actions designed to provoke critical thought, self-reflection and positive change. His activism creates nuanced conversations on the critical issues of our time, with a focus on solutions for living in harmony.
His life’s work has been covered by media worldwide and he has been named “The Robin Hood of Modern Times” by France 2 TV and “The Forrest Gump of Ecology”.

Robin has committed to earning below the federal poverty threshold for life and donates 100% of his media earnings to grassroots nonprofits, with a focus on supporting Black and Indigenous women-led organizations.

This channel is a resource for all who seek to liberate themselves, to live in truth and integrity, and to live in harmony with Earth, humanity and the plants and animals we share this home with.

Robin Greenfield and Dear Friends share means of achieving liberation and harmony through sustainable living, simple living, tiny house living, foraging, growing food and medicine, minimalism, zero waste, earth-skills, food sovereignty, community resilience, compassionate communication, activism, Black Liberation, Indigenous Sovereignty and living in service.

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[Robin.Greenfield]

Hi all!
This is the homestead I created while living in St. Pete this year. We lived here from from January 2021 to June 2021. We lived here as part of a worktrade, improving the space for the owner of the land in exchange for rent. The internship allowed us to do a lot of positive work for the community both in Saint Pete and throughout the country.
As of July 2021, the homestead was left in the hands of the land owner as planned and I and my team currently are based in
in Asheville, North Carolina.
I want to express a huge thanks to all of the interns and volunteers who were a part of this project! This couldn't have been done with them!

[LolQueenOfFun]

Living in ever financially problematic country as mine, in Serbia, Europe, we as nation were always trying to live simple and close to nature. So, low or unstable income for a long time, makes me and my family to think very close to what you do. Very glad to see your happines and examples for sustainable growed food.

[jayfitmob]

I'm glad I followed you since I started a long time ago, I had to stop the video at 2 minutes 11 seconds to mention that being in Florida where I grew up and lived for 36 years be very conscious of the humidity level not running your ac, it can cause hidden drywall damage etc mold mildew.. I'm sure you're aware of that I just wanted to bring it up. Many blessings my friend

[enchanted]

I love it that you describe this as a 'typical house'. In the UK you would have to be a millionaire to have this much space and land. How magical to have so much abundance available to ordinary folk. 🙏🌈🙂

[rabbireubenmodek]

Dear Rob, loved this video. Thank you for your honesty about communal living. To your question/comment about "never seeing a community where everything flows...", there is none. In my experience people together rub each other the wrong way by design, but are also teachers to one another for it. The personal growth that is generated is the reward. I was touched by your honesty and appreciate your work to promote sustainable living. Our future depends on it. For context... I am a liberal Rabbi in the New York City suburbs. A big fan of permaculture and sustainability. The planet is totally worth saving, and people like you and many other activists are the angels that are making
it happen. Thank you for your service. Be blessed, Reuben

[otos_etopia]

Love this, and everything you do Rob! I love that I didn't see any carpet in your home either. Carpet is disgusting, toxic and requires another landfill tool, the vacuum. I also appreciate you removing the dishwasher. Dishwashers do not even work, hand washing will always be the best way. You are a true inspiration Rob, thank you!

[rincon]

I really hope this video becomes the future of our society, not only for the US but the whole world

[techywill]

Corporations and capitalism die if people aren't consumers. This is refreshing to see people working for themselves instead of working so CEOs and managers can get a bonus or yacht.

[taracat]

I camp outside on really hot nights and it becomes cooler than any air-conditioning in a house that has warmed up by the evenings. I often need a warm blanket by 3am in the morning

[jeffhanna]

Huge thanks for everything you've done and are doing! I'm going on 70 and have been saying, and doing almost all the same things you're doing, but now, thanks to YouTube, etc. you can easily share it with millions of people, instead of trying to get it out through magazines and books. It's wonderful that there are always people of all ages trying to make our world better.

[v_hovila]

Thank you for this interesting tour! For the people who hesitate living with room mates I want to share my experiece. Let’s start with the fact that I’m a Finn so I know the meaning of introvert! So I lived 5 years in a student apatment building. Everybody had their own room, sizes varied from 9 m2 to 24 m2. 6-12 people shared a kitchen and 3 people shared a toilet. In addition to this we had a 100 m2 party space with a library, reading room, kitchen and living room. Plus laundry: one washer and dryer was enough for all of us. The 100 m2 space was shared by 70 people: the whole building that is. In my opinion the key to successful living in those communal apartments was the fact that everybody had a lock on their door for privacy AND everybody had their own small fridge. There was never the need to wash someone elses dishes. Nobody was forced to share food or cooking with others. I mean, eating together brings people closer - but one isn’t always in that social mood. In addition we had weekly shores devided for everyone. I liked it lot and made many good friends. We used to occationaly cook together and ofter drink evening tea together with a few friends. I started my first shared garden lot with one of those friends.

[farmoboy]

In Portugal the tap water is very good quality at least since the 90s. Good flavour and bacteria free due to our good water treatment plants. There is no reason for bottle water use still people insiste on buying them. Also, I know it's a debatable opinion, but Fluor was very important to avoid teeth decay in the 80s and 90s. So our water still has Fluor by law to ensure this mineral is ingested by children and adults at least in a minimal amount. Avoid washing machines is a nightmare when you have kids and both parents work all day but I use many tricks to reuse water, only use a bar of soap for all my hygiene including head and face shave, water from shower used to the toilet (not compost, it's an apartment), almost vegetarian since abandoned beef and pork. Minimal animal protein intake now. Still have a lot to do but at least I am doing more than 99, 9% of my community

[williamvonrolappe]

Thanks Rob! I’m trying to live a simpler and more sustainable life, but it’s definitely a work in progress. Your work and your videos always provide inspiration and motivation, and I always learn something new from them. In previous videos, you speak about incorporating small changes on a daily basis to gradually transition to sustainability, and this has been my practice. Thanks again for the ongoing information and inspiration!

[shoolmanraf]

Tnks for your knowlege, im from mexico and im already trying to adopt this system, tnks for all and i hope you continue telling people this precious form to live

[vandinhtran]

Very glad to see your latest video. I admire how with simple techniques you made this big house sustainable. Thanks to your first videos, my family and I have stopped water in bottles for the Berker filter, and we are very happy since more than a year now. Definitely living and working with other people is a challenge. Look forward to seeing your new videos.

[jeanettemarie]

You are a blessing. Need more peeps like you and your team members. 🕊

[simplefarmhousefamily]

Love seeing a different way to live. It’s inspiring. Would you mind showing us pictures of your chore charts and signs posted around house for communal living? Thanks for your work

[Dalcar.avotreestudio]

Stunning, well done getting it done in 6 months. I've been doing it alone in a normal Johannesburg suburb. It's an ongoing process.

[barbaragale]

Thank you so much for sharing all the sustainability solutions. I would love to be a part of a great homestead like this.

[thefutureofgardening]

Rob, your knowledge and experience in the permaculture field is an asset to humanity. Thank you for all you do. I'm still learning everyday. Located about 20 miles north of St Pete. Trying to build an urban food forest here as well.