Wayward Collective is a grassroots family-run nonprofit founded on a desire to live with integrity, resourcefulness, and purpose. We believe in the power of community—not just as a buzzword but as a real, grounded way of life. We’re a small family working toward something bigger than ourselves: a culture of self-reliance, mutual aid, and sustainable living that can weather hard times and still leave room for joy, beauty, and connection.

Our values are simple but strong. We value honesty, hard work, and follow-through. We believe that people thrive when they feel useful, share their skills, and are surrounded by others who care more about doing the right thing than being impressive. We are not interested in spectacle or perfection—we care about consistency, community, and creating real solutions for everyday life.

We started Wayward Collective because we were tired of waiting for someone else to fix things. We saw a growing need for people to reconnect with the land, their own skills, and each other. While many systems feel broken or out of reach, we believe we can rebuild something meaningful at a local level—starting with a toolbox, a few people, and a willingness to show up.

Our group includes a mom, a dad, a teenager, and a circle of close friends and family who’ve helped shape this vision. Like many others, we’ve faced financial struggles, burnout, and the tension between survival and purpose. Wayward Collective is our answer to that tension—a space where people can learn, build, and heal without needing to have it all figured out first.

Our mission also includes supporting Wayward Nature Preserve, a 35-acre piece of land we’re restoring for long-term stewardship. While it’s not open to the public, the preserve is central to our vision: a living example of off-grid sustainability, native plant restoration, and wildlife protection. As Wayward Collective grows, we hope to offer opportunities for members to get involved in hands-on work that reconnects them with nature and each other.

We’re just getting started—but we know we’re not alone. If you’ve been looking for something real, something rooted, and something worth building, welcome to Wayward.

Paid Courses - Wayward Collective

Land Tending for Beginners

Learn how to care for your land like a living being. This course introduces soil health, native planting, water retention, and seasonal observation in an approachable, hands-on way. Perfect for those new to land stewardship or reclaiming ancestral practices.

Basic Cooking Course

Feed yourself with confidence, no matter your skill level. This course covers core techniques like knife skills, meal planning, boiling, sautéing, baking, and flavor balancing using whole ingredients. No fluff—just the fundamentals of making nourishing food from scratch.

Financial Literacy Course

Understand your money so it stops controlling you. Learn how to track spending, build a survival budget, break free from debt traps, and reclaim financial agency. Rooted in practicality and anti-shame, this course is for people who want tools, not judgment.

Reclaim Your Power

Join a movement dedicated to fostering self-reliance and community through skill-building and collaboration.

Free Resources

Online Courses (Coming Soon)

Member Resources