THE HAPPY CASTLE COOPERATIVE
Happy Castle Art Camp is a non-profit, income-sharing cooperative. This means the business side of Happy Castle is owned and operated by those who live onsite—our Villagers, as we affectionately call ourselves. By living and working here, you’ll not only build a thriving community and forge deep connections, but you’ll also develop valuable skills in dozens of areas related to communal living and running mission-driven businesses.
The best part? You’ll earn a daily stipend based on your contributions. This isn’t an hourly wage but rather a savings account that gradually accrues, ready for you to cash out when you move on.
That’s right—we don’t expect you to stay forever. We want you to be part of Happy Castle for as long as it’s right for you, but when the time comes to move on, we support those who supported us in their next chapter, whatever that may be.
At its core, Happy Castle is a revolutionary cultural experiment—a direct challenge to the capitalist status quo. Here, workers aren’t just labor to be exploited. Instead, we cultivate potential by providing skill-building opportunities, access to resources, and transformative interpersonal experiences. As humans, we’re meant to love, learn, and create—not waste away as faceless cogs in a system that values profit over people and the planet.
Our mission is simple: to give the world a choice. A choice between living sustainably, communally, and securely—or remaining trapped in an ecocidal system of alienation and uncertainty.
If you, like us, have felt disillusioned by the way things are and are ready to put in the effort, then Happy Castle might be exactly what you’ve been searching for. The idea of coming together with strangers to build a business in the desert might sound like a pipe dream—but it’s not. It’s a dream many of us have shared, and one that we’re making real.
So, what happens when we focus that energy? If Coachella and Burning Man can do it, so can we. Move in. Live and work on a commune. Meet incredible people. Host a music festival. Have the experience of a lifetime. Stay for a summer, a year, or a decade. Build up your nest egg, and then take everything you’ve gained to pursue your own dreams.
This is your escape hatch. Your opportunity. Your revolution. Welcome to Happy Castle Art Camp.
HUNDREDS OF COLLABORATORS
DOZENS OF BUSINESSES
ONE VISION
Our Art Festivals and Campground are only two of more than thirty planned income-generating businesses operated onsite. By leveraging the combined power of our individual talents, we'll create dozens of collectively-owned-enterprises that make life on the commune that much more enriching. Organic produce from our greenhouses, honey and mead from our beehives, energy from our solar-farm, incredible meals from our kitchen, pottery from our art-studio, and many different workshops and classes on every subject in between!
What are you passionate about? Is it gardening, writing, cooking, painting, or making pottery? What are you good at? Are you a therapist, accountant, builder, dancer, chef, or mechanic?
Mainstream society often forces us to choose a career, in many cases long before we've even thought about what we truly want, and commit to that role for the rest of our lives. Economic pressures cause us to set aside our hobbies and dreams to focus on the immediate necessities of paying our bills. A lifetime later, we're left wondering where all the time went and whether any of it was ever worth it in the first place.
At Happy Castle we envision a different way. Rather than tackling life alone, we choose to work together, sharing our skills, abilities, and expertise with the collective in order to build a life that not only provides for our basic needs, but fosters our spiritual, emotional, and social needs as well. By living communally and collectively, we believe that each of us can have far more together than we could ever dream of having on our own.
LEAD YOUR LIFE
THE HAPPY CASTLE ECONOMY
At Happy Castle, we envision a thriving ecosystem of dozens of onsite businesses that not only serve our community but also empower our members financially. These businesses will be collectively owned and operated by our community members under a cooperative umbrella, creating a unique model that contrasts sharply with the typical capitalist wage-slavery system many experience today.
In traditional capitalism, individuals often find themselves trapped in a cycle of endless toil at a job that's beneath them for a paycheck that isn't enough. A job where their labor enriches distant corporations and leaves little room for personal fulfillment or financial liberation. In stark contrast, our approach at Happy Castle promotes direct involvement and ownership in our enterprises, allowing members to actively participate in decision-making and reap the rewards of their efforts. By working together, we will cultivate a variety of business ideas—from artisan crafts and local food production to workshops and event hosting—that will generate income for the commune and its members.
While these business concepts are still in the planning stages, our immediate focus will be on the Happy Castle Art Festival and Campground, which we aim to establish as our primary source of income in the near future. The festival will serve as a launchpad for our entrepreneurial spirit, attracting visitors who are eager to engage with our artistic offerings and community-driven initiatives. Through the festival and our future businesses, we will lay the foundation for a self-sustaining economy that prioritizes collective well-being and economic freedom for all members of our commune.
These businesses will all play a part in building the self-sufficiency and financial sustainability of Happy Castle, helping us achieve our vision of an income-sharing community that thrives in harmony with the environment. Together, we’re not just building a community; we’re creating a model of economic empowerment that challenges the status quo and redefines success on our terms.
Cooperative
Free
Association
VOLUNTARY CO-OP SYSTEM
At Happy Castle, we believe in balancing shared responsibility with individual choice to create a thriving, self-sustaining community. Our system blends mandatory community participation, which ensure the basic operations of our village, with voluntary co-ops, which allow members to opt into shared resources, businesses, and services based on their needs and interests.
Whether you want to fully integrate into communal living or simply access select amenities, this model provides flexibility while fostering collaboration, economic efficiency, and self-sufficiency. Visitors and residents alike can choose their level of participation, making Happy Castle an adaptable and inclusive space for all.
1. Core Communal Co-Ops
These are essential operations that ensure the basic functionality of Happy Castle Art Camp. Every full-time member is expected to contribute to these co-ops in some capacity.
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Festival & Event Operations – Organizing, staffing, and running the annual festival and other community events.
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Campground Management – Maintaining and erecting additional infrastructure, assisting guests, and handling bookings and dome rentals.
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General Maintenance & Sanitation – Basic upkeep, cleaning, and communal repairs.
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Land Stewardship & Ecological Restoration – Involves permaculture projects, water management, and reforestation efforts.
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Conflict Resolution & Community Governance – Participation in decision-making processes and conflict mediation.
Each member who joins the commune rotates through responsibilities, ensuring an equitable distribution of labor across these essential functions.
2. Voluntary Co-Ops
These co-ops operate on a free-association basis, meaning members can choose to opt-in by contributing labor, paying a membership fee, or both. Participants share decision-making power, responsibilities, and, in some cases, profits.
Infrastructure & Utility Co-Ops
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Solar Micro-Grid Co-Op – Members pay for access to shared renewable energy and help maintain the system.
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Water Co-Op – Covers well maintenance, rainwater harvesting, and distribution.
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Wi-Fi Co-Op – Maintains internet access and covers infrastructure costs.
Living & Mobility Co-Ops
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Meal Plan Co-Op – Members pay into a shared food budget and participate in cooking/cleaning shifts.
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Car-Share & Transport Co-Op – A community vehicle fleet for members who don’t own their own transport.
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Housing/Construction Co-Op – Builds and maintains housing for members, offering members affordable construction services.
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Shower Co-Op – Members maintain and operate shower facilities onsite for residents and visitors.
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Gym Co-Op – A shared gym maintained and developed by interested members.
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Laundry Co-op – Members operate a laundry-mat onsite for residents and visitors.
Artisan & Business Co-Ops
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Vegan Meal-Prep Co-Op – A separate meal plan for plant-based eaters.
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Makerspace & Tool Co-Op – Shared workshop with tools for members to use.
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Education & Workshop Co-Op – Classes on sustainable building, permaculture, arts, etc.
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Merchandise Co-Op – Sells Happy Castle-branded or community-made goods.
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Skoolie Conversion Co-Op – Skilled members collaborate to convert buses and vans into livable, off-grid homes for members and customers.
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Merchandise Co-Op – Sells Happy Castle-branded or community-made goods.
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Desert Nursery Co-Op – Grows and sells desert landscaping plants to the surrounding community.
3. personalized Services & Projects
Members can propose new co-ops as long as they align with the ethos of self-sufficiency, sustainability, and community benefit. Members can also establish individual entrepreneurial activities onsite that conform to our sustainability and income split policies. Examples include:
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Holistic Wellness Co-Op – Yoga, massage, herbal remedies.
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Glass Blowing Studio
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Ceramic Studio
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Other Personal Arts and Crafts – Clothing brand, jewelry, online services, content creation, etc.
4. Visitors & Temporary Residents
Visitors can choose their level of participation and involvement in the Happy Castle Art Camp, from onlooking tourist to community leader:
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Camping: Members simply pay for a campsite or dome with access to community bathrooms throughout their stay.
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Basic Access: Pay for access to power, water, wi-fi, laundry, meals, showers, and rent a dome without further obligations.
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Trade Work Programs: Guests who intend to remain onsite long-term and access community resources may trade work for access to things like meals, showers, laundry, and housing.
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Co-Op Membership: Join one or more voluntary co-ops for added benefits and community integration.
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Full Participation: Engage in both mandatory and voluntary co-ops, contributing as a full community member.
This system creates a flexible, scalable framework where participation is encouraged but not enforced beyond core responsibilities. It allows for diverse lifestyles, whether someone is a deeply engaged community builder or a short-term visitor who just needs a place to plug in their van and dump their tanks.
ONSITE BUSINESSES
Communal Revenue for Happy Castle
At Happy Castle, self-sufficiency isn’t just about living off-grid—it’s about creating a framework for financial independence and empowerment for everyone in our community. We aim to break away from the exploitative, unsustainable economic systems that dominate mainstream society and replace them with a model rooted in equity, creativity, and purpose. We believe everyone deserves to make a living doing work that is both meaningful and aligned with their values, and Happy Castle was designed to support that vision.
From the very beginning, our plans for Happy Castle have been built around fostering a spirit of creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. We’re not just creating a place to live—we’re creating a launchpad for dreams, where members can access the resources, skills, and opportunities needed to thrive. For us, this vision is realized through our cooperative model, where the businesses that generate income for the community are collectively owned and operated by those who live, work, and build them.
Our cooperative will host a variety of businesses that reflect our values of sustainability, artistry, and self-sufficiency. These include educational workshops on sustainable living and off-grid skills, the production of handmade craft goods, the sale of drought-tolerant plants and seeds from our desert nursery, agricultural produce, and large-scale festival events showcasing art and innovation. Together, these ventures will provide meaningful, fulfilling work for our members while also generating the revenue needed to sustain and expand the community.
But these businesses are more than just income sources—they’re extensions of our mission. They allow us to inspire others by demonstrating that eco-village living can be both economically viable and deeply rewarding. By intertwining art, ecology, and community, we’re building an ecosystem that thrives not just for us, but as a model for the world. When one of us succeeds, we all benefit, reinforcing the cooperative ethos at the heart of Happy Castle.
FINANCIAL FREEDOM
At Happy Castle, our cooperative profit-sharing model ensures that more of the money stays in the hands of our workers compared to traditional capitalist labor relations. Since we collectively own and operate the businesses together, there’s no outside entity profiting from our efforts—every dollar generated directly supports our community and its members. Additionally, by living communally, we reduce personal expenses on housing, utilities, food, and other essentials. This allows us to save money while enjoying a high quality of life, fostering both financial security and a sense of ownership in everything we build and create together.
As you live an work on the commune, you'll earn a daily stipend to spend as you please or to save up for the next big step in your life. When you help us, we help you. Join the commune and stay for however long you want with the peace of mind that your opportunities for adventure is only growing.
PROFIT
SHARING
Living and working at Happy Castle operates on a shared economy model, where members contribute their time, skills, and talents in exchange for the benefits of communal living and shared financial success. Each member's basic needs—housing, utilities, food, and more—are met through the collective resources of the commune, providing security and freedom from the constraints of traditional wage labor.
Our income model is built on collaboration and shared goals. From our annual Art Festival to merchandise sales, honey and mead production, and various educational workshops, we pool resources to support the community and foster growth. Whether organizing events, managing the desert nursery, or teaching classes, members collectively share the profits generated by these ventures, ensuring everyone benefits from Happy Castle’s success.
This income-sharing structure gives every member a personal stake in the community’s success. Through a range of creative enterprises and entrepreneurial opportunities, members can help build a thriving brand that supports both individual ambitions and Happy Castle Art Camp’s larger vision. The goal is to innovate a an economic system that creates financial stability and wealth for the entire community, allowing everyone to live securely and prosper together.
As our projects flourish, so too does the potential for communal income. Hosting festivals, selling unique products like honey and mead, and offering workshops will generate prosperity for all. By working together, we foster an environment where individual and collective success are deeply intertwined, creating long-term financial security for everyone involved.
COMMUNAL LABOR
COLLABORATION & COOPERATION
COLLABORATIVE LABOR SYSTEM
At Happy Castle, members are expected to contribute roughly 40 hours of labor per week. This ensures that everyone has a manageable workload while maintaining the community’s self-sufficiency and progress. The flexibility of work varies depending on the tasks at hand, but the focus is always on a balanced schedule that promotes both productivity and personal time. You might wonder how this is possible with such a traditional 40 hour work week, but at Happy Castle Art Camp, work isn't like the work you do at the job you have now. It's tending to the plants in your garden, feeding your animals, building your home and improving your neighborhood, interacting daily with your friends to solve common problems, making art and exploring our purpose as human beings. It's creating abundance for your community, it's important work to help the earth, it's intimate, it's conversational, and it's enriching!
In practice, these hours can be distributed among various areas, from building and maintaining infrastructure to growing food, assisting with onsite businesses, supporting artistic projects, or helping create memorable guest experiences. The rotation of tasks allows members to gain diverse skills and prevents burnout by ensuring that no one is overburdened in any one area. We're developing a work-sharing mobile application so our members, students, and interns can easily pick up shifts and see which areas are staffed or where more help is needed.
This collaborative labor system not only keeps the community running smoothly but also fosters a deeper sense of investment, connection, and shared purpose among all members. Most of the time, it won't even feel like work. You'll be making meals with your best friends, helping your neighbor build their house, mindfully gardening in the greenhouse, instructing a yoga class, or creating art. It's a life of purpose and enrichment, not a daily grind of poverty and alienation.
The NonProfit
A COMPANY WITH A MISSION: HAPPY CASTLE'S 501(C)(4)
Happy Castle is more than just an off-grid community—it’s a movement. To support our mission of expanding access to natural building, advancing the eco-village model, and combatting climate change, we created the Happy Castle 501(c)(4) nonprofit social welfare organization. This designation allows us to operate in a way that prioritizes long-term impact over short-term profits, ensuring that everything we build—from sustainable housing to educational programs—serves the greater good.
Unlike traditional nonprofits, a 501(c)(4) allows us to generate revenue through business activities, which is essential for maintaining and growing our community. This means we can operate our cooperative businesses—such as our natural building workshops, skoolie conversion factory, permaculture consulting, and festival campground—while keeping our focus on our broader social mission. It also enables us to incorporate a worker cooperative within the nonprofit, giving members the ability to earn income while contributing to the larger goals of the organization.
As a 501(c)(4), we are exempt from federal income taxes, allowing us to reinvest every dollar we make directly into expanding the mission behind Happy Castle Art Camp. Whether it’s funding new communal infrastructure, planting more trees as part of our permaculture reforestation initiative, or helping our neighbors develop better systems for off-grid living, our resources are used to build a model that others can follow and replicate.
At the core of our structure is the Happy Castle Community Land Trust, ensuring that the land itself is held in perpetuity for communal use. This prevents speculation and private ownership from threatening our long-term vision. Instead of land being treated as a commodity, it remains a shared resource for all members, reinforcing our commitment to collective stewardship and sustainability.
By choosing this structure, we’ve created a nonprofit that operates with the flexibility of a cooperative business while remaining mission-driven and legally protected against corporate interests. Happy Castle isn’t just about building an intentional community—it’s about pioneering a new way of living that proves sustainability, self-sufficiency, and economic resilience can go hand in hand.
ONSITE BUSINESSES AND REVENUE STREAMS
COOPERATIVE ENTERPRISE:
THE LIFEBLOOD OF HAPPY CASTLE
INCOME GENERATING CAMPS
Entrepreneurship at Happy Castle
Happy Castle’s various businesses, divisions, and administrative functions will be divided into pods called Community Camps. Each Camp is composed of members who specialize in and operate that particular area. Camps democratically elect their own leadership, who we’ll refer to as Boards, who take on managerial responsibilities inside their Camp. Members can belong to any number of Camps and serve on as many boards as they’re elected to. However, not every Camp has the same needs or structure of every other Camp, so while one Camp such as Festival Planning for example, might need a Treasurer to track income, design budgets, and oversee spending, another Camp such as Waste Management, might not.
Some Camps will be “income-generating” Camps and have particularly important roles in ensuring Happy Castle’s overall success. All Camps are encouraged to get creative about ways to generate revenue or cut costs, but core income-generating Camps will face unique organizational pressure to build healthy financially balanced businesses. Other Camps are more concerned with supportive roles, like sanitation, cooking, construction, or the administration of commune life, such as onboarding new members. Every Camp will have the primary responsibility for resolving internal conflicts, strategizing, and streamlining their own processes. Despite this degree of separation, Camps should remember that they are partners with neighboring Camps, specializing in one aspect of the same overall mission of building a thriving commune, campground, and festival venue. Enthusiastic communication and cooperation between Camps are integral to our shared success.
COOPERATIVE BUSINESSES & COMMUNAL WORKSHOPS
At Happy Castle, we believe that true sustainability goes beyond just building homes—it’s about creating a thriving, cooperative economy that supports both the community and its members. That’s why, in addition to shared living spaces, we’re developing communal workshops and business hubs where members can contribute their skills, generate income for the cooperative, and pursue personal creative projects.
These workshops are the beating heart of our economic ecosystem, providing dedicated spaces for hands-on work, innovation, and skill-sharing. From greenhouses that produce food and mead to workshops on natural building techniques, we invest in industries that align with our values of sustainability, self-sufficiency, and education. Our skoolie conversion factory turns old buses into functional tiny homes, while our permaculture and off-grid consulting team helps others build their own sustainable projects. And of course, our festival and campground operations remain a major pillar of our cooperative’s financial health, bringing in revenue while showcasing the creativity and vision that make Happy Castle unique.
What makes this model truly special is its flexibility and accessibility. While these workshops serve as business ventures that sustain the commune, they’re also available for personal use by members—whether that means launching an independent project, experimenting with a new craft, or collaborating on a shared vision. By pooling tools, space, and expertise, we create an environment where people can develop their passions without the financial barriers that exist in traditional workspaces.
This cooperative approach ensures that our economy remains resilient, diverse, and community-driven. Instead of working solely for personal profit, we work together to build something greater—an ecosystem of creativity, sustainability, and mutual support.
DAILY STIPEND
MAKE A LIVING DOING WHAT YOU LOVE
Building Happy Castle: A Cooperative Future
For every hour you work at Happy Castle, you earn ownership in the cooperative enterprises that are Happy Castle Art Camp. The campground, the festivals, the farm, the dome school—everything we create together—makes up our shared wealth. When we combine the skills, creativity, and labor of our collective, the entrepreneurial potential of our cooperative is limitless.
Money talks. If we want to change the world, we have to thrive within a broken system long enough to build a real alternative to the extractive capitalist model. As Happy Castle expands, growth is not our goal—accessibility is. We’re not here to get rich. We’re here to build a scalable cooperative economic model that makes opting out of the rat race not only a viable option for more people, but an exciting one.
The Pioneers of Happy Castle
In the early days, we have to be realistic—Happy Castle won’t turn a profit overnight. The first few years will be dedicated to fulfilling our Kickstarter campaign and establishing self-sustaining infrastructure: water, power, housing, and, most importantly, a labor force. This means our earliest members won’t be joining a cooperative—they’ll be building one. This is direct action. It's activism. This is for the visionaries.
The groundwork is laid for a radically unique community lifestyle that blends entrepreneurship, collective ownership, and cooperative culture. If you are a worldbuilder, this is your blank canvas. I’ve met so many of you already—dreamers disillusioned with a self-destructive, alienating, unsustainable society who want to build a life of community and abundance but don’t know how or where to start. We must take action to build a better future.
We don’t have to sit idly by as greed, war, poverty, and environmental collapse destroy the planet. We can fight back—together. Happy Castle Art Camp, our off-grid desert festival, is just the first step. But our greater mission is to inspire a global eco-village movement, expanding through a network of Happy Castle Sister Cities. We will build a better world.
Ownership Through Labor
To ensure fairness while still encouraging growth and inclusivity, we’ve adopted a work-based ownership model:
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Every hour worked earns profit-shares in the cooperative.
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Every day spent building this vision increases your stake in the organization.
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Shares cannot be bought—they must be earned. Long-term commitment and hard work are rewarded with higher stipends and voting power in financial and business decisions.
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Community Camps can establish their own organizational structures and offer their own differential pay-raises.
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While members are expected to contribute to shared projects, entrepreneurship and artistic pursuits are encouraged. Members keep 50% of profits from businesses they develop within the cooperative. Over time, this will create some income stratification—but never at the cost of opportunity for newcomers or the absurd wealth disparity of mainstream society.
A New Economic Vision
For many of us, talking about money is uncomfortable. We know it’s responsible for so many of the world’s evils. But the dream of a moneyless world of abundance won’t be built overnight. It starts with intentional community and reinventing the way we produce and distribute wealth.
We’re not saying our system won’t have its flaws. But we’ve designed participatory processes to adapt and evolve as challenges arise. This cooperative model is our good-faith attempt at reimagining a sustainable economy—one rooted in collective purpose, transparency, and equity.
Those who help build this vision—from the pioneers to future generations—should prosper with it.
PAID TIME OFF
BANK YOUR EFFORT FOR A SUNNY DAY
At Happy Castle, we know that building a thriving off-grid community isn’t just about hard work—it’s about balance. Rest, personal growth, and flexibility are essential to creating a sustainable way of life. That’s why we’ve designed a Paid Time Off (PTO) policy that rewards your contributions while ensuring you have the freedom to recharge, pursue personal projects, or handle life’s unexpected challenges.
For every 40 hours you work, you earn 4 hours of PTO, with its cash-out value based on your daily stipend at the time of accrual. This means PTO retains its value without incentivizing members to stockpile it for years just to withdraw a larger sum. Instead, PTO is designed to be used—to rest, travel, create, or even be swapped with other members who need time off.
Unlike traditional workplaces, PTO at Happy Castle rolls over each year with no cap. That’s right—you can save it indefinitely. We encourage this, hoping it can serve as a personal fund or even a form of retirement savings for members. Whether you’re planning a big move, making a major purchase, or facing an unexpected emergency, we want you to have the security to handle it on your terms.
Additionally, the longer you stay, the faster you accrue PTO. For every year of membership, your earning rate increases by half an hour per week. After two years, you’ll earn 5 hours per week; after four years, 6 hours per week—and our longest-term members may earn more than 10 hours of PTO weekly.
By allowing PTO to accumulate without limits, members can take extended sabbaticals, retire with dignity, or even cash out and transition to new projects. PTO can also be gifted to others or converted into a transition stipend if you decide to move on, ensuring you leave Happy Castle with something to show for your time and effort.
Since Happy Castle operates as a cooperative, time-off requests are coordinated within your Camp or Pod to ensure responsibilities are covered. But ultimately, we believe in supporting each other’s needs and dreams. Whether you’re taking time off to create, explore, or simply breathe, we want to make sure everyone has the freedom to build a life—not just a livelihood.
INDEPENDENT ONSITE BUSINESSES
RESIDENT ENTREPRENEURS
Happy Castle is a community of artists, innovators, and entrepreneurs, built on the belief that fostering creativity and ambition strengthens both individuals and the collective. We value the ingenuity of our members and actively encourage them to pursue personal creative and entrepreneurial ventures while living onsite. Whether it’s crafting art, producing handmade goods, vlogging about off-grid living, or exploring other business ideas, our goal is to support and empower residents to thrive creatively while contributing to the overall success of the community.
To ensure fairness and sustainability, income generated from personal pursuits while living at Happy Castle is subject to an income-sharing agreement. Members contribute 50% of earnings from these activities to the commune treasury. This policy acknowledges the unique benefits provided by living and working at Happy Castle: access to shared resources, tools, and infrastructure; a vibrant, supportive community; and connections fostered through the collective’s reputation and reach. In return, members are freed from the financial and logistical burdens often associated with pursuing independent ventures.
By combining resources, dividing labor, and creating a nurturing environment, Happy Castle allows residents to focus on their passions while contributing to the communal vision. Together, we build a space where individual success and collective prosperity are seamlessly interwoven.
fifty-fifty
income
sharing
WHY WE'VE CHOSEN AN INCOME SPLIT MODEL FOR HAPPY CASTLE
At Happy Castle, we believe in cooperation over competition and in creating an environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Our 50/50 income-sharing model isn’t just about fairness—it’s about sustainability, empowerment, and collective success.
Challenging the oppressive economic systems that dominate American life isn’t just about escaping the rat race—it’s about building something better. True financial independence isn’t achieved by individual wealth alone but by creating parallel systems of self-sufficiency, mutual aid, and personal growth. Happy Castle is an alternative to capitalism’s dead-end cycle, offering people the chance to opt out of an ecocidal economy and into a cooperative, community-driven way of life.
Our approach to income generation is rooted in collective ownership, entrepreneurial spirit, and vertical integration of community, space, and business. This isn’t a theory—it’s direct action aimed at the roots of systemic oppression. We are developing an economic model that is scalable, accessible, and practical, proving that another way of living isn’t just possible—it’s happening.
Income sharing may seem radical to most Americans, and that’s exactly the point. At Happy Castle, we are reinventing economic systems—ones that challenge mainstream capitalism while still empowering individuals to participate in the broader economy on their own terms. Before you reject this outright, we challenge you to explore your feelings surrounding income-sharing with an honest examination of the deep-rooted capitalist conditioning that affects us all. You're here because you want to be a part of building a better future and doing so involves a constant interrogation of the social constructs which hold us captive. After envisioning the world we want to build, here's why we've chosen to implement income-split at Happy Castle Art Camp:
1. Building a Sustainable Community
Traditional jobs extract value from workers, leaving individuals scrambling to survive while businesses accumulate wealth. We reject that system. Instead, we pool resources so that everyone benefits from the success of the collective rather than just a few. The 50% contribution ensures that Happy Castle can continue to provide housing, food, infrastructure, and community resources while still allowing individuals to accumulate personal wealth.
2. Lowering Barriers to Entrepreneurship
Many people dream of starting their own business but lack the capital, connections, or safety net to take the leap. At Happy Castle, members can launch entrepreneurial projects with access to communal resources, shared labor, and an existing customer base—without the risks that come with going it alone. By contributing 50% to the cooperative, entrepreneurs benefit from a support system that helps them grow, while also reinvesting in the community that made their success possible.
3. Incentivizing Participation & Growth
Rather than a rigid hourly wage, this model ensures that members who take initiative and contribute meaningfully see direct financial rewards. Your effort and creativity pay off not just for yourself, but for the entire village. This means our collective success is tied to individual success, and vice versa.
4. Keeping Costs Low for Everyone
Because Happy Castle covers many of the expenses that individuals would otherwise have to pay out-of-pocket—such as food, housing, utilities, and workspace—the need for personal income is greatly reduced. A 50/50 model allows members to enjoy these benefits without financial stress, while also ensuring Happy Castle remains a thriving, self-sufficient ecosystem.
5. Reinforcing Our Core Values
Happy Castle is a bold experiment in redefining work and wealth. The goal isn’t just to provide an alternative way to live—it’s to prove that a more just, cooperative, and fulfilling economy is possible. This model isn’t about maximizing profits, but about creating a regenerative system where everyone has what they need to pursue their passions and live with dignity.
THE FESTIVAL
AND CAMPGROUND
PHASE ONE PRIORITIES
At Happy Castle, the festival and campground are the cornerstones of our Phase One development and the foundation of our cooperative businesses. These two ventures are not only integral to our mission of creating a vibrant, self-sufficient community but also serve as our primary fundraising vehicles during this critical stage. Building out the infrastructure needed to host camping and events is our main business objective, as it will provide the resources necessary to sustain and expand Happy Castle.
The campground, encompassing the vast interior of our property, will be a hub for visitors seeking immersive, off-grid experiences. It will feature a range of amenities to accommodate various needs, including open camping sites, RV hookups, power stations, and communal spaces like amphitheaters, bonfires, and shower facilities. This space will operate year-round, generating consistent income while fostering connections among visitors, artists, and members of our community.
Complementing the campground, the Happy Castle Art Festival will be the centerpiece of our event calendar. This multi-day celebration of art, community, and self-expression will transform the entire property into a dynamic festival ground, with interactive art installations, performances, and themed activities. The festival will not only showcase the creativity and ingenuity of our members but also attract a diverse audience, raising awareness and funds to fuel our long-term vision.
By focusing our efforts on these two cooperative businesses during Phase One, we aim to establish a strong financial foundation for Happy Castle. The income generated from the festival and campground will be reinvested into expanding infrastructure, launching additional cooperative ventures, and realizing our broader mission of sustainable living and artistic expression. These businesses embody our commitment to building an inclusive, innovative community that inspires and empowers all who visit.
PLANNED ONSITE BUSINESSES
THE FUTURE OF THE HAPPY CASTLE COOPERATIVE
Art & Music Festivals
Happy Castle’s festivals will showcase art, music, and sustainability, attracting attendees from around the region. These festivals will be the heart of our revenue, drawing people into our community while generating significant profits that support the commune’s growth and mission.
Earthbag Construction Academy & Contractors
We’ll teach visitors and members alike the techniques of Earthbag construction through workshops and classes, while also contracting our expertise to external clients. This eco-building academy not only helps spread sustainable architecture but also generates revenue through construction projects and training programs.
Merchandise
Our Happy Castle brand will extend beyond our community, offering handmade goods, clothing, and other items produced onsite. Through our festivals and online platforms, we will sell branded merchandise that embodies our message of sustainable living and creativity.
Campsites & Cabin Rentals
Not everyone wants to camp in a tent, and our rentable Superadobe Earthbag domes will provide a more comfortable, immersive experience. These eco-friendly cabins will be scattered throughout the campground, available for rent through Airbnb or directly during festivals, offering premium accommodations for visitors.
Permaculture Farm Tours & Workshops
Happy Castle’s permaculture farm will offer guided tours and hands-on workshops for visitors who want to learn sustainable farming techniques. From desert gardening to water conservation methods, these educational experiences will not only generate revenue but also promote ecological awareness.
Native Plant Nursery
Happy Castle will cultivate and sell native plants and trees suited for desert environments, offering a sustainable solution for landscaping in the region. The nursery will not only supply our own landscaping needs but will also serve local gardeners, developers, and permaculture enthusiasts seeking drought-tolerant flora.
Beekeeping & Honey Sales
Happy Castle will establish beekeeping operations not only to produce honey but also to support our agricultural activities through pollination. Our honey will be sold at local markets and festivals, while beekeeping workshops can offer additional income and educational opportunities.
Bicycle Rental & Repair Shop
A bicycle rental and repair shop will encourage low-impact transportation onsite and offer visitors an alternative way to explore our vast desert campground, particularly during our festivals. This shop will also serve as a repair hub for local cyclists, further engaging with the surrounding community and generating income.
Pottery & Ceramics Studio
Happy Castle will establish a pottery studio where residents and visitors can create their own ceramics, from functional kitchenware to decorative art. The studio will offer workshops, and finished products will be sold onsite, further supporting our artisan economy.
Drive-In Movie Theater
A nostalgic and accessible experience, our drive-in movie theater will offer a unique entertainment option for visitors to the campground. It’s a relatively inexpensive attraction to build and will become an additional income stream, providing both film screenings and other events year-round.
Salsa Production
New Mexico’s climate is ideal for growing green chiles, and we'll be tapping into this regional specialty by producing our own green chile salsa. This local favorite will be sold onsite, at local farmers' markets, and at festivals.
Jujubee Wine/Cider and Mead
Our desert climate is perfect for cultivating Jujubees, a hardy fruit that can be transformed into a unique, flavorful wine. We'll also use the same facilities to produce mead from our onsite beehives, offering a range of organic, locally-made beverages that can be sold at festivals or local stores.
Skoolie Bus Conversion Factory
For members and customers alike, our Skoolie Bus Conversion Factory will turn old school buses into mobile homes. Offering custom builds and streamlined processes, this factory will provide an affordable and sustainable housing option, while generating income for Happy Castle.
Glass Blowing Studio
Our glass-blowing studio will be an artisan workshop open to both visitors and residents, allowing people to learn a new craft and create custom glass pieces. Products created onsite can be sold at the festivals, adding a creative dimension to our revenue streams.
Retreats and Private Events
Our campground will become the perfect venue for any number of private organizations to enjoy from weddings, to artist retreats, and religious ceremonies.
Recording Studio & Happy Castle Record Label
Our professional recording studio will allow musicians to record albums while visiting Happy Castle. Eventually, we plan to expand this into a record label, helping to discover and promote talented artists within our community.
Motorbike Racing Course
We will take advantage of the earthworks projects required for building Happy Castle by developing a motorbike racing course. This course will be available for private events and rentals, adding an adrenaline-filled activity to our already diverse offerings.
Airsoft Course
With our sprawling desert landscape and interactive art installations, we will create an airsoft and paintball course that will attract weekend warriors and event organizers. Using biodegradable bullets, this eco-friendly adventure will add another dimension of fun and income to the camp.
Net-Metering Solar Farm
New Mexico’s sunny climate is perfect for solar energy production, and with net-metering, we’ll eventually be able to sell any excess energy generated onsite back to the grid. In time, our solar farm will become a major revenue source as we expand our capacity beyond Happy Castle's own needs.
Cannabis Farm and Dispensary
Although the initial costs for permitting and licensing are steep, a legal cannabis farm could eventually be a highly profitable enterprise for Happy Castle. While we’re still exploring this option, we see tremendous future potential in vertical integration by operating our own branded dispensary.
Magic Mushroom Cultivation
As interest in plant-based medicine grows, the potential for legal psilocybin mushrooms is enormous. While still speculative, we’re exploring options for growing magic mushrooms under the right legal conditions, contributing to both mental health research and our bottom line.
Bitcoin Mining with Renewables
Some of our members have proposed harnessing excess solar energy to power an off-grid Bitcoin mining operation, transforming what would otherwise be wasted electricity into a dual-purpose system. The waste heat generated by mining rigs can be redirected to warm communal spaces during cold desert nights and winter months, providing a practical and sustainable heating solution for our community. By running our mining operations exclusively on renewable energy, we’re not only generating passive income for Happy Castle but also demonstrating how blockchain technology can be integrated responsibly into an off-grid, eco-conscious lifestyle. While Bitcoin mining is often criticized for its energy consumption and environmental impact, projects like ours prove that with the right infrastructure and intention, it can actually contribute to a greener future.
EVERY DOLLAR YOU SPEND HELPS BUILD HAPPY CASTLE
Happy Castle is in the startup phase and even with a team as willing and committed to building this community as ours is, startups are expensive. Besides the basic infrastructure necessary to sustain our members, we're also attempting to host fully-fledged music festivals for thousands of guests!
Did you know that every dollar you spend on our website goes back into building Happy Castle? So whether you're renting a campsite, getting a festival ticket, or scooping up the next new merch drop, you're also helping us hit our fundraising goals to make Happy Castle a reality. Thank you!
THE SKOOLIE FACTORY
SUSTAINABLE HOUSING ON WHEELS
As part of our commitment to innovation and sustainable living, Happy Castle plans to establish the Skoolie Factory—a dedicated facility for converting retired school buses into functional, beautiful, self-sufficient tiny homes on wheels. Known as skoolies, these homes offer an affordable, sustainable housing solution that aligns perfectly with our vision of radical self-reliance and eco-friendly living.
The Skoolie Factory will be designed to operate as an assembly line, enabling us to rapidly build several skoolies at once, each at a different stage in its conversion. By standardizing production and focusing on a few versatile models and layouts, we can significantly lower conversion costs while ensuring efficiency and quality. Each skoolie will be outfitted with the essentials for off-grid living, including solar power systems, composting toilets, and optimized storage solutions—all guided by the same principles of self-sufficiency and sustainability that define Happy Castle.
Skoolies built at our factory will serve a dual purpose. First, they’ll provide affordable, innovative housing for members of our community, helping us expand while keeping living costs low. Second, they’ll generate consistent revenue for Happy Castle through sales to the public, creating a sustainable business model that supports our broader mission of eco-conscious living.
THE SKOOLIE CONVERSION PROCESS
Transforming a school bus into a home is an art as much as it is a science. The process begins with purchasing retired school buses through government auctions, carefully selecting models that meet structural and mechanical requirements.
Once acquired, the buses are stripped down to their frames to remove existing interiors, seats, and unnecessary components. The next step involves raising the roof to increase headroom, a modification that transforms the interior space and makes it more livable.
Afterward, the bus is fully insulated to regulate temperature and ensure energy efficiency. The interior build-out follows, incorporating functional layouts with kitchens, sleeping areas, storage, and bathrooms designed for comfort and sustainability. Every detail, from the electrical system to the plumbing, is built with off-grid capability in mind.
SKOOLIE SCHOOL
In addition to producing skoolies, the Skoolie Factory will serve as an educational workshop, offering concurrent courses in Skoolie conversion to the public. These programs will teach participants how to undertake their own school bus conversions, empowering visitors to create these beautiful, affordable, and sustainable homes for themselves. By sharing our expertise, we aim to inspire others to implement innovative housing solutions and spread the principles of sustainable living to their communities.
HaPPY CASTLE HOMESTEADS
OWN YOUR OWN PRIVATE LOT WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF THE CAMPGROUND
The Happy Castle Homestead project is a long term development plan for the surrounding areas outside the Campground that involves a radical regulated market based model. These lots encourage individuals to develop their own unique properties within the framework of a centrally planned community. While these private lots will be individually owned, they come with significant deed restrictions to ensure they contribute to our broader mission rather than undermining it. These restrictions include:
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A one-lot-per-owner policy: No single individual or entity may own more than one parcel, preventing large-scale land speculation and ensuring a diverse and engaged group of land stewards.
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Sustainable building requirements: Any structures built on the land must use natural building materials and be designed for self-reliance and carbon neutrality, supporting our goal of developing a net-negative carbon impact.
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Infrastructure integration: All private landowners will be invited to opt into Happy Castle’s well-share and solar co-op programs, offering affordable access to shared water and renewable energy resources, dramatically lowering the upfront costs of going off-grid.
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A network of public pathways: To maintain a sense of connection and accessibility, a public path system will be established across the private parcels, allowing all residents and visitors to explore and interact with the broader landscape. This does not mean you must grant access to your property, just that a path network will be built into the fabric of the subdivision from the beginning, ensuring conveneient connection to public spaces and walkability.
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A contribution to the community on every sale: Any future transaction of these parcels will include a 15% sale price transaction fee paid to Happy Castle. This ensures that as property values appreciate due to the success and growth of the community, Happy Castle continues to benefit, reinvesting in infrastructure, community programs, and land stewardship.
A Sustainable Model for Growth
By structuring land ownership in this way, we strike a balance between communal and private interests. Individuals and entrepreneurs interested in a supportive, cooperative lifestyle can invest in and improve upon these parcels, enhancing their value while remaining accountable to the broader goals of Happy Castle. Buy into a community unlike any other and build what you want. Share in the success of Happy Castle Art Camp as you surround yourself with skilled and likeminded neighbors.
The Happy Castle Community Land Trust and Homestead program prevent extractive development while allowing for carefully managed, inclusive, ecologically responsible growth, ensuring that Happy Castle remains a beacon of sustainability, creativity, and community for generations to come. In the future, this project can be expanded as we invest in regional community building resources, providing affordable and accessible natural buildings to New Mexico.