Burrowed Neighborhoods of Earth Integrated Shelters

Hi Mike and everyone.

My dreams of many years include neighborhoods full of earth integrated shelters. I know there is a drawing in the $50 and up Underground House book. and in 2007 when I bought the books from Mike, I even mentioned this on the phone.

I'm wondering how many other folks would like to be involved in their areas in a neighborhood like this. The meaning of neighborhood, I suppose, is relative. And houses could be built with a blend of methods.

It just seems that with all the weather changes that sheltering ourselves into the earth/burrowing is a most important aspect of self care.

Many blessings,
Gail

I think that is a wonderful idea! However, I personally like seclusion.

I had a nightmare neighbors while living in a duplex one time. (Or perhaps it was the other way around, with all the hammering and banging I did and the blue flashes of light from me arc welding! )
I have a neighbor now who is less than understanding about my building materials I am collecting for building my underground house.

I like some distance between! Give me at least 5 acres in the country, the more the better!

That being said, underground would solve many issues in a subdivision.
Jeff

Yes, Jeff, personalities and neighbors too close lead to 'issues'.

I have had an acronym for over 20 years which has helped to remind me why I'm here:

POGA-EPOP Pioneers of the Golden Age, Each with a Piece of the Puzzle.
Regardless of a person's views of life, we are fully in an age on this planet where we are finding our way through the uncharted 'wilderness of change'. Each step we take gets everyone that much closer to wherever we are heading...

None of us has the whole puzzle. Yet, it is most important that each soul is honored so that they can share their piece.
Viva le difference!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Burrowed Nurturing Neighborhoods:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I envision homes and out buildings far enough apart for privacy, which have bamboo groves and other major privacy boundaries or animal areas, or such in between homes.

Some of the reasons I envision burrowed nurturing neighborhoods:

Burrowed neighborhoods can even be part of Paul's or anyone's community

We are naturally living in areas with food forests and meadows, etc.

people helping people, and all the beings in the neighborhood and surrounding areas

one family or a few people can get really stressed trying to maintain a homestead in few numbers. In one of these neighborhoods, if you have an accident or illness or such, there is support nearby

it helps to spread the financial and energetic issues, instead of those just being on the shoulders of a few

there are naturally numerous ways to contribute, whatever someone's abilities may be

many hands make light work and play--PLURK

we can naturally age in community, which renaturalizes the cycle of life, so that folks do not end up in institutions

This is a perfect way to bring diversity of living arrangements to folks who are differently abled., so that they can flourish and be appropriately mentored and cared for. AND their families or others who have the responsibility of caring for differently abled folks have more support in a nurturing environment. This increases the quality of life for many, because the stresses of trying to be more involved in a so-called 'more typical societal environment' are completely reduced. They now live in a Diverse environment where they are respected and honored.

These neighborhoods can also eventually co-exist in more populated areas as the world changes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
farmsteads and living arrangements which include elder and differently abled. These can being employment to 'able bodied' neighbors. Wow, this gives new meaning to a short commute to 'work'.

We develop ways of building and maintaining these types of housing neighborhoods for 'way less than it costs the present paradigm to do.

This helps everyone to flourish.

Again, words are not my first language, so sometimes I cannot describe in words that which I aspire to share.

Looking at these videos, please envision how permies would create these types of living arrangements with more food, animals, and more activities which nourish one's souls.

http://thegreenhouseproject.org/
individual Elder/differently abled cottages or congregate homes can be part of these burrowed neighborhoods

The following links are to various ways of living for folks with different abilities.

Le Arche is a worldwide extended community
http://www.larcheusa.org/

Bittersweet Farms in Ohio
http://www.viddler.com/v/d6681529

An Independent Me in Texas
www.livingwithmeaning.org

Glenwood Center outside of Birmingham, Alabama
http://glenwood.org/services-resources/services/adult-services/

Camphill neighborhoods around the world:
http://www.ic.org/search_results.php?cx=partner-pub-4810885975061329%3Adhwcft-rc6r&cof=FORID%3A9&q=camphill&x=0&y=0

I'm on a job site right now so it is difficult to navigate the links with this old Droid phone. I get the drift of what you are saying though.
The bamboo or privacy screens would help considerably.

I have a neighbor (a good one!) who lived in community for 16 years. It seemed to have worked to a degree, but there was little room or tolerance for individuality and a few controlled the many.
I like the concept, but getting it to work can be very difficult.
I knew a lady from Nigeria who lived in community with her family, and that seemed to work in her culture. It was a patriarchal culture with great reverence for the old and the leadership of the father that was the head of the family. All of the extended family for several generations lived on the family farm, helping each other and taking care of each other.

She was appalled and disgusted at the American youth's lack of respect for their elders and the fact that the elderly were put in nursing homes. She said she did not know of a single nursing home in Nigeria!

I currently am looking for property to purchase with my best friend for many of the reasons you have stated. Our two families can help each other.
We have different ideas as far as housing goes. I want to go with Mike Oehler's type of structure, my friend wants to go with a mobile home on top of a basement. I'll buy extra poly in case he changes his mind as we go through the depression and destruction that is coming to America.

Jeff

I think this is a beautiful idea! Your acronym is sweet too, sometimes we need reminded that we are all a part of the big picture. I personally would love to live in a place like you describe. I love the word nurture, I think we could all use more of it! ..And now I must go finish checking out these awesome links you posted, new information to soak up