Fred Frank V Bur

Alder Burns wrote:From someone who has spent a good part of my adult life in intentional community settings, my one bit of advice beyond what others have already posted (and I totally   agree about the site ic. org as a great place to start!) is to not be too hasty and make a bad decision that way.  Try to take or make some time to tour around several communities in your area of interest, maybe even volunteer at some.  Say a week or so at each.  What you want to catch is first, a general vibe of whether that life will really work for you (especially as contrasted with homesteading on your own), and secondly, the vibe of that particular community or type of community....they vary a good deal from one to another.  Especially pay attention to how newcomers would be incorporated in, and the dynamics between private ownership or stakeholding versus communal ownership.   Be aware that life happens, not only to yourselves, but to communities, and not all of them last forever.  Ask yourself, and the people you visit....what happens if 10 or 20 years down the line you or they decide that it just isn't working any more, what then?   Some communities can do this gracefully, evolving into a collection of neighbors who stay friendly, whereas others....well, speaking from experience it can get pretty spectacular.

I don't think I have that privilege or luxury of the ability to travel to different communities to find what corresponds best, what is right for me would be having enough communication before I would come, if I do, with being assured it is right. I already want the very simple living.

Daniel Andy wrote:Welcome to the site, Toria!

It seems to me that there are a few really critical elements to finding a community:

1) The people and how they handle conflict. Ive been reading on failed intentional communities and the majority of failed communities were because of infighting and disagreements. Some study can help but ultimately you need to get to know the people, and get to know them really well before committing. People arent enough either...what are their processes for handling disagreements? Long stay visits are a must. Longer stays are better. This one has the highest potential of wasted years when you find out you cant work out a problem with your IC years into it.

2) Religion/Belief:  a lot of ICs come with explicit or implicit beliefs you need to share to get along.  Some are looking for christians only. Some are strictly vegan. Some want you to only eat together. Some ICs plan to live together. Youll want to figure out which of these are no go for you.  SPECIFICALLY: i recommend putting in your post a clear hypothetical description of the lifestyle you are looking for.

3) Finance and ownership: when it comes to brass tacks, this is it. Who finances the land you live on? Who covers your expenses and how? Do you plan to buy land yourself in an area near a community or do you plan to live on a community's land?  Financially do you have enough to support yourself (or an ongoing remote job?) Or are you planning to be valuable enough to an IC via your labor that they dont mind giving you what little finances you still need?

I think if you can clearly articulate answers to these three, you are well on your way to finding a community that works.

I may be a unicorn. I have beliefs for different things, not at all incompatible. But it seems I won't find community in agreement for all those things. I will have to compromise on something, that is not then a shared belief or value.

Quinoa grows in places of the Andes region, perhaps it will grow there in Ecuador, if so that will be great news, as it provides all essential aminos that would make it of great value to a way of eating that is entirely from plants, such as it is with my own way.

Texas might be as far away as I would consider.

William Porter wrote:I’m interested I just started looking for land for off grid house this might be a positive for both of us you can contact me at 2703499894

Where are you located? Have you moved from another state?

I would be too concerned about not getting any grains or legumes with just eating food from plants. I would be growing those things too.

How is it doing now? If what is growing is not including grains and legumes, I would like hearing how healthy those there are. I would think those are important in what to include in everything being grown.

Julien Sueur wrote:Sharing 3 links : 1/ https://veganorganic.net/whygrowveganic/ 2/ https://goveganic.net/what-is-veganic/why-veganic/simpler-without-manure/ 3/ https://goveganic.net/what-is-veganic/growing-without-manure/. They have a world map with Veganic Gardeners. Best regards. Julien

I have the healthy vegan way I know of that could be from everything I would be growing, but this was without even thinking veganic growing.

Kim Wills wrote:
"If you won a billion dollars what would you do?"... then let them ramble!

Then note how they would live if there were no constraints. Would they still be careful in their choices that affect nature? Do they mention other people and community, or do they just give a list of stuff they'd buy? Of course we might all want to splurge at first, so don't be too judgmental, give the conversation some time and back & forth, remembering you are trying to find out about a lot of categories of the person's life and beliefs from this one question, so don't be too quick to judge on just a couple things the person says.

I have already approached the question of what I would do with lots of money, which I never had, even long ago, it really doesn't change for me, but for certain specific ways, a billion would really make a difference in how possible it will be. I would want to get plenty of land, and compatible people brought in to where I can have a small community there with us growing our food and things that we need and with our simple living leaving the environments alone as far as possible.