Miguel Romero

Hello everyone. Just a quick update to let everyone know that my situation has not changed much since my initial post and I am still active on the subject and have received some contacts by the private messaging system. I welcome those of you who have reached the same conclusions as I have especially through experience that it is essential to try to establish a community following natural principles (i.e, social permaculture).  This implies strict adherence to TRUTH / REALITY (natural moral philosophy through scientific investigation and experience) and is complementary to the "physical permaculure" that most people already recognize superficially. In other words, for one to be successful the other needs to be also, practicing both guided by the results (i.e., experimentally / experientially).  This approach combines physical, socioeconomic, ecological sciences and principles systemically and holistically (integratively) to best harmonize with nature, and thus underpin any chance / claim for sustainability.  Nature is after all a complex adaptive system, and true living / thriving requires integrating our lives with it deeply / systemically as social "animals" in the ecosystem, i.e., using communities based on natural scientific principles.
Otherwise, I encourage everyone to give serious consideration to the above concepts, and do your own research (including historical, especially of traditional societies most of which have been destroyed). Also include your own observations and experiments practicing rivaling concepts (from individualistic, intentional community type approaches based ultimately on wishes and intentions of individuals  vs. the integrative ecosystemic approaches where the community is organized on the basis of necessity to create a balance with nature / following natural principles i.e., as a means to serve nature, and not the goal to serve the ego).

A true community requires a deep understanding and practice of logic (i.e., natural law / law of consequences / law of harvest), which the traditional cultures practiced as "common sense" and kept them sustainable for so long, creating a natural order and relative peace, essential for their health / longevity / sustainability. Having lost this tremendous wealth (the culture tying us to nature through time, evidence of perma - culture) in most of the world, we should not be surprised at the diseased state of the vast majority of individuals in the world and our sorry state, akin to deracinated plants that could not survive long despite all artificial interventions (as in our artificial global socioeconomic system). The difficult task at hand should be obvious for those serious about permaculture.

Thank you for your message.  I am interested in projects like yours and will check it out to see if it follows at least the ethical principles of conventional permaculture - "earth care, people care, fair share".  Please look for my private message.

Hello everyone,

I am new to the forum and have lived in northern Spain homesteading (living a self-sufficient lifestyle as much as possible in the countryside) for about 6 years. Now, I am looking to join forces looking for people who have been seriously pursuing this lifestyle, be it expats (from any where in the world) or the native Spanish. I would be interested in joining an established community or even as close neighbors engaged in cooperation and mutual exchange for synergy - and to cut out the middle man in these chaotic times. If you know of such a community or are interested in such a collaborative work, I would like to hear from you.

BTW, I rule out "intentional communities" which are solely based on the people who just rely on their intention and will power (often an expression of selfishness). Often, those involved do not have the necessary requirements (a good mix of knowledge, experience, life skills, resources, as well as impulse control and ethical / moral underpinning) necessary for developing trust and cooperation, and long-term individual and social maintenance and growth.
I have been renting (country house and land) to keep the option of easier relocation in case the opportunity arises, realizing that the social (socioeconomic including cultural) aspect of permaculture is essential in the long-term maintenance and growth of this lifestyle, in addition to the more tangible aspects of land and physical location.
I currently live in Galicia and prefer northern Spain mainly because of water concerns (last year there was serious drought in most of Spain).

Cheers