In ancient Greece, a Lavra was the place where back alleyways came together and people gathered. We aspire to create a modern version of the crossroads where people from across the Central Coast can come together.

The Lavra Educational Foundation (501c3) is a nonprofit that exists to bring people together to educate and celebrate. At the Lavra, we aim to create gatherings for:

a)  Education:
We host workshops on sustainable building, regenerative agriculture, homesteading, environmentalism, and health/wellness.
We host lectures, movie nights, and discussions to engage the most important questions of our era.
We facilitate outside teachers who align with our values and need a space to share their message with students of all ages

b) Community Celebrations
We host annual summer and winter solstice celebrations as well as other seasonal celebrations.
We host concerts, plays, and other celebrations of the arts.
We facilitate outside groups who share our values to hold meetings and fundraisers to support their missions.

c) Meetings with a Purpose
When outside organizations who share our values need a place to meet, we work with our partners to create meaningful meetings. 

The Lavra hosts workshops on small-scale farming with our local partner farms.

Our partner farm is home to number of animals that provide a basis for learning to farm through workshops.

Goats

The partner farm iis home to a small herd of female French Alpine goats. They provide milk and help keep the weeds in check.

Chickens

The partner farm is home to a flock of about 25 happy chickens who live a free-range lifestyle in a heavily-vegetated corner of the property. the chickens provide eggs and take care of food scraps.  

The Lavra hosts volunteers interested in participating in sustainable farming methods. Our primary garden space with our partner farm is about 1/2 of an acre, and includes a solar-powered aquaponics center, food forest, composting stations, and mushroom inoculation corner, among other experimental farming features. Many Lavra nonprofit events include fresh vegetables grown in this garden!  

The experimental vineyard at our partner farm that hosts our Lavra workshops on viticulture and wine is organic and sustainably farmed. It is comprised of about 1/3 of an acre of Grenache and Syrah planted in the Spring of 2015.

How do I become involved in the Lavra?

1. Offering Events & Workshops

Throughout the year, the Lavra nonprofit offers a variety of educational events and workshops that draw people from throughout the Central Coast. We also offer spaces for local groups and organizations to host their own events, meetings, or workshops. Please see our Events Page for more information on hosting an event at the Lavra. In the past, we have hosted sustainability workshops, a nature mandala workshop, local film premiers, theater workshops, and kirtan singing gatherings.

2. volunteer

Together with our partner farm, we host volunteers throughout the year through international volunteer websites including WWOOF, Workaway, and Helpx. These websites offer an excellent way to connect with others interested in sustainable farming methods and facilitate cultural exchange. We typically offer educational demonstrations on a variety of topics including vineyard maintenance, wine-making, goat-milking, cheese-making, and coffee roasting among other skills for our volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering at the Lavra, please join one of the aforementioned volunteer websites and search for us.

3. attend an event or potluck

If you are interested in attending one of our educational events or potlucks (which typically involves making pizza in our outdoor cob pizza oven), please contact us through the website and indicate your interest in being added to our email list. We will then keep you updated on upcoming events.