The place
About 90 km from one of the largest university cities in Eastern Europe, Cluj-Napoca, 15 km from the small town of Beclean-pe-Someș, and 2 km from the center of the village of Malin, Ermitaj is nestled in the heart of the Transylvanian plain, at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains, in the northwestern region of Romania. This hilly landscape, alternating between forests, meadows, and fields, offers an exceptional natural setting.
The villagers refer to this place as “Pe vale”: “In the valley”. Accessible by a gravel path, Ermitaj is somewhat off the beaten path.
Ermitaj’s Infrastructure
At the lower part of the land, you will find the main buildings:
The Lodge
A house with four rooms on the ground floor and an attic serving as a dormitory, attached to the “sanitary group” (shared bathroom).
The Community Living Space
Comprising a kitchen and dining room, with a covered terrace, where most of the meals and interactions take place.
The Barn
A large multi-purpose space that houses our workshop and serves as a venue for various events.
The “Red House”
A brick building whose construction, started probably in the 1980s, was never completed.
These infrastructures allow us to host people or groups for about four to five months a year, during the “good season,” in conditions that are not those of a 4-star hotel but are, overall, relatively decent.
Since Ermitaj is entirely off-grid, we autonomously manage our electricity supply (photovoltaic panels) and water (spring water collection, wells, rainwater). Heating is done with wood, and some gas cylinders are used for cooking and hot water (when solar energy is insufficient).
In addition to the main infrastructure, many areas are suitable for alternative habitats (glamping tents, tipis, tree houses…) or elements related to well-being (sweat tents, sauna, isolated spaces, campfires, swimming pond…) or for developing new projects (cheese factory, drying racks for carpentry, animal shelters, greenhouses, attic…).
Our construction and renovation dreams are many and just waiting to be realized!
Ermitaj’s Land
The land, approximately 8 hectares in size, mainly slopes in an East-Southeast direction, between 320 and 420 meters in altitude. It consists of young forests, pastures, and old orchards, and is crossed by two streams (dry in the summer). These eight hectares are contiguous, which is a fortunate feature.
The agricultural potential is better suited for orchards (especially apples) and livestock farming, rather than large-scale crops or vegetable farming, although, in a perspective of food autonomy (vegetable farming) and experimentation (agro-sylvo-pastoral systems), projects in these areas are possible and even desired.
The diversity of herbaceous plants in our meadows is extraordinary! Every year, we harvest numerous varieties of medicinal plants to make herbal teas. In addition, this diversity offers high-quality hay and provides an ideal refuge for many species of insects and birds. The spectacular nature of this diversity is acknowledged by every expert in their field, whether they are passionate about plants, insects, birds, trees… or idyllic landscapes.
Currently, about half of the land is “cleared,” consisting of meadows and orchards.
We have about two hectares of forest (most trees are relatively young, with only a few dozen appearing to be over 60/70 years old). We harvest our firewood, fence posts, tool handles, and stakes from there, and we also use the wood to cultivate mushrooms and… enjoy the peace and rejuvenation that the forest provides.
Two hectares at the upper part of the land have not been maintained for about twenty years. Among the hawthorns, hazel trees, and wild roses, we find old cherry and plum trees, and (what we believe are) relics of terraces, benefiting from the more favorable micro-climate in this spot for frost-sensitive fruits. While some areas are steep, and a forest ecosystem is the best choice, other flatter parts would benefit from clearing to plant new fruit trees or even create ponds.
The Gardens
Crisina Colis maintains a small part of the land through her project Seminte pentru viitor (“Seeds for the Future”; edible herb nursery).
We have a vegetable garden of about 200 square meters of raised beds, where we practice no-till farming, more or less successfully, depending on the weather, pests, and the forces at play!
