Looking for anyone interested in starting an Ecovillage/Intentional Community in AR or Mo Ozarks

I am listing this ad to see if there is anyone interested in joining together to start an Ecovillage/Intentional Community in the Northern Arkansas or Missouri Ozarks.  Please feel free to comment or message me and we can go from there.

Geno Shrt wrote:I am listing this ad to see if there is anyone interested in joining together to start an Ecovillage/Intentional Community in the Northern Arkansas or Missouri Ozarks.  Please feel free to comment or message me and we can go from there.

We've been trying to find people for the same reason for quite awhile without luck. We're down near Branson and have land adjacent to Mark Twain National Forest near Hercules Glade Wilderness. Do you already have a place or are you just looking for people and planning to buy something together. PM me and we can talk if you are interested in possibly joining forces. (You may want to check out some of my posts on this topic first.)

Hello there. I have been looking for a community to help build. I've been living communally for the past few years and have found long established communities most unsatisfying. They either have a rigid established hierarchy (regardless if they claim to be equal /egalitarian or not) or an oppressive culture (religious or over the top partying). I have been looking for a simpler life off grid without all the drama.

Will not do AR, but definitely interested in MO! Current MO residents now. Two adults, three children- wildcrafting skills, plant medicine and food, gardening and food preservation, working knowledge with sustainable systems, and animal care practical knowledge. We are looking for like minded folks to purchase property with. We are pagan, want to live sustainably, have a sense of community with those that live with us, and are avid homeschoolers. We feel that a "buy-in" of $10,000 for each family/individual seems reasonable.

I'm very very interested.  I'm currently up in Washington working as a maintenance technician for a 16 acre apartment community; my reasons for being up here are purely financial.  I am looking to leave no later than November 2021.  You won't get rich doing this kind of work but you can save if you're smart.  I've been looking at Arkansas because property taxes are among the lowest in the country and land is relatively cheap.  Climate is pretty good as well as I'm pretty addicted to sunshine.  I've been scoping out property within ~45 minutes of Fayetteville.  I'm looking to get a "market gardener" kind of thing going with a CSA.  I want to step outside my house and be surrounded by nature.  I don't want to hear any cars or people.  I don't want to be bound by a clock.  My dream is to get 20+ acres but leave most of it undeveloped; I just want a large buffer between me (us) and everyone else.  

Gene,

What kind of folks are you looking for?

Original plan like many others has changed and evolved so many times over its unreal just how far we’ve gone. I live in IA, in the one of the largest cities, working for the largest retail store in the world. I hate it. I want a more simplistic lifestyle that centers more around family and close friends, and has nature at its center. Originally we had planned on getting a 1 acre near a town in AR, just get a yard where I could grow things. Then it changed to MO. Then it became a how to finance things so I’m not paying a mortgage my entire life and a corporate slave. We ran across Cob/straw bale building. I’ve been on a binge session on how to do this for the last few days and realized very quickly I can’t accomplish anything without a community.
I have many designs in my head, but I require help to do so. This isn’t really a help request. This is a, I want to be a part of something where we’d help each other. I like to do things with my hands, I’m a thinker and a planner. I value what I can do for others. I’m a bit of a minimalist, tho a true one would laugh at that statement.
We’re Wiccan, and as such want to be closer to nature. So that our now 3 children (1 is only 2 weeks old now can lead a better more fulfilling life than we have.
I happened upon this forum after just searching for “cob builders of Missouri” and was blown away at how many posts on this forum were in the very area we had looked at for the last month. We’re very interested in the area, and very interested in doing our part.

Married couple about 50 years of age living in the western Ozarks of Missouri are open to the possibility of others joining our homestead operation.  We are of the Christian faith and keep Sabbath and Passover, not Sundays, Christmas, Easter, etc.
We are into agriculture, gardening and raising of livestock (clean meats only).  We also are strong supporters of the 2nd Amendment.  We are located over one hour away from a major city.

If interested, let us know.

We are interested. How do I get in contact with you? We are a family of 5. This reply is for couple in their 50.

Shana Mills wrote:Will not do AR, but definitely interested in MO! Current MO residents now. Two adults, three children- wildcrafting skills, plant medicine and food, gardening and food preservation, working knowledge with sustainable systems, and animal care practical knowledge. We are looking for like minded folks to purchase property with. We are pagan, want to live sustainably, have a sense of community with those that live with us, and are avid homeschoolers. We feel that a "buy-in" of $10,000 for each family/individual seems reasonable.

Shana. Have a few questions. Why not AR? I had looked at it as a place and my daughter and brother said no to AR for different reasons. It's not often I run across other Pagans looking to live sustainablly. Which I always find rather weird. I would like to talk to you. If interested send me one of those moose messages. I'm new here and still getting the hang of the site.

Goddess Keep
Angelina

Hello.
An Arkansas Ecovillage sounds very interesting. I have been interested in communities and alternative building for many years. I'm in the Northwest Arkansas area and wondering how much interest you have received.
There is also a related post at https://www.facebook.com/pg/Plenitude-Ecovillage-463687640357312/about/?ref=page_internal.
Thanks,
Fred

I’ve been looking into Madison County, AR and in particular a small town named Aurora which is unincorporated so taxes are less. I am very interested and very new here so I’m not sure where we go from here.

Please leave a message anyone wanting to converse and we can go from there.

Message for aj
I am interested. Also Sabbath and Passover person.  How can we get in touch?

Gene,
I would like to hear your ideas.
Please contact me at jugglefive@hotmail.com.
Thanks,
Fred

Aj Hill wrote:Married couple about 50 years of age living in the western Ozarks of Missouri are open to the possibility of others joining our homestead operation.  We are of the Christian faith and keep Sabbath and Passover, not Sundays, Christmas, Easter, etc.
We are into agriculture, gardening and raising of livestock (clean meats only).  We also are strong supporters of the 2nd Amendment.  We are located over one hour away from a major city.

If interested, let us know.

Are you still seeking for like minded people to homestead with you?

My idea of an ecovillage/intentional community in Northwest Arkansas.

Who am I?
Early fifties male with a wife and 2 kids.
I have a decent job and want to start out as a weekend project and go from there, but others would be more than welcome to start out full time.

Why?
Many reasons.
A place to experiment with alternative eco conscious building, living, food growing, cooking, etc.
Enjoy nature and the simple things in life. This doesn't mean going without TV, radio, internet, etc.
De-stress and simplify.
 Sit around a campfire at night.
 Play a board game.
 Go swimming, kayaking, hiking.
Start out minimally and add slowly. The goal is to not have to work dawn to dark.
Pool resources as going at this alone would be very expensive and time consuming.

Costs?
The goal would be to get enough people to keep the buy in low. Maybe $5000 per share that would leave some extra money for building the pond.
If people want to join after the land purchase they can still buy a share or a they can lease a small plot of land and additional land if needed.
All share holders may also have to pay small monthly dues to cover insurance, taxes, road maintenance, etc.
There would also be no land speculation which means this is not a way to make money buying and selling shares. You would buy in
 and then maybe there would be an agreed upon inflation rate such as a few percent a year. Goal is to keep costs low so living is affordable
 for all. This is not a front for a land development. It's a way of life.
Example.
 Dancing Rabbit Land Trust - https://www.dancingrabbit.org/about-dancing-rabbit-ecovillage/our-land/dancing-rabbit-land-trust/

How to operate financially?
Host workshops
Sell food and crafts
Rent tiny house parking spots
Dues
Airbnb

Where?
Northwest Arkansas.
 Plenty of rain.
 Mostly mild winters.
 Lots of sunshine.
 Affordable land.
 Close to jobs, entertainment, farmer's markets, lakes, streams, and hiking.
Optimally this community would be no further than 1.5 hours from the Bentonville/Rogers Arkansas area.
 Example.
  A preferable area would be an area between these Arkansas towns south and east of Bentonville/Rogers:
   Mountainburg, St. Paul, Kingston, Ponca, Alpena, Oak Grove. Maybe also up into Missouri around Table Rock Lake.
A plus would be land next to the National Forest, a creek, or lake and have plenty of buildable and tillable areas as Arkansas can be hilly.

How?
Get a group of people to buy shares and purchase the land under a land trust who would then become members of a
 board of directors to manage finances and manage the land based off all member input. No one leader and no one religion.
Build natural small houses and raise food using vertical, hydroponic, aquaponic gardening, greenhouses, etc.
Raise chickens, fish, etc.
Plant a food forest.
Income sharing with community businesses.
Use renewable energy.
Composting toilets.
Waste reduction.
 Example of recirculating shower. Goal is to reduce wastewater.
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgF9OoX0-w0

Who?
People excited about off grid living and ways to reduce.
Motivated people who want to live inexpensively and have access to clean water and nutritious food in a chemical free environment.
Non smokers and light drinkers. No drugs.
People who want to start living in a community on a weekend basis as like me you may have a job you do not want to leave at the moment.
People ready to build a home and live in the community full time.
People experienced in setting up a land trust and creating a community.
Family friendly.
Nonviolent.

Pets?
All domesticated animals will not be allowed to run free as the native critters have enough predators.

Weapons?
The goal is to have a safe family friendly environment so how to do handle guns, etc.
Just allow hunting rifles, bow and arrows, knives?
Allow hunting only and no target practice?
Don't allow guns and hunting?
Bow hunting only?
I don't own a gun but would like to do some archery. I'm not a hunter.

Design?
Build a 1-2+ acre pond and use for drinking water (treated/filtered), swimming, fish farming, irrigation.
Build natural small houses (wood, stone, cob, strawbale) around the lake.

Example communities?
These are communities I have visited.
East Wind - https://www.eastwindblog.co/
 Community wide business that provides food, clothing, housing, medical, and a small stipend.
Dancing Rabbit - https://www.dancingrabbit.org/
 Natural buildings, alternative energy, food production, ponds, etc.
Arcosanti - https://www.arcosanti.org/
 Community business.
 Interesting architecture.

Example houses?
This is an interesting house design that I would like to do in cob covered strawbale.
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDzjFEU_gjg
Cool cob houses.
 https://www.californiacob.com/
Self-Sustainable Ecocapsule
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ8BNDkX9KI

Of course I could go into way more detail.
A key thought of mine is it's much easier to reduce needs than to build more infrastructure, etc.
For example, living minimally can reduce the need for solar panels, water heating, refrigeration, etc.
 You could eat a raw food diet a few days a week and then when the sun is shining cook with a solar oven which eliminates the need for cooking fuel and possibly refrigeration.

Anyone have similar interests?

Well said Fred and I hope more people will post their thoughts, I'm in and a land trust is the way to go.

Anyone considering Northwest Arkansas at all? Do you have any questions about the area? It's a nice area with lots of forest, lakes, rivers, what I call mild winters, long summers, and medium sized towns with about anything you need.

If your truly interested call 870-283-9757 and we are planning a meeting and you can join in the texts as well.

Schnaell Ramona wrote:

Aj Hill wrote:Married couple about 50 years of age living in the western Ozarks of Missouri are open to the possibility of others joining our homestead operation.  We are of the Christian faith and keep Sabbath and Passover, not Sundays, Christmas, Easter, etc.
We are into agriculture, gardening and raising of livestock (clean meats only).  We also are strong supporters of the 2nd Amendment.  We are located over one hour away from a major city.

If interested, let us know.

Are you still seeking for like minded people to homestead with you?

Yes call 870-283-9757 for info.

AngelinaGianna Maffeo wrote:

Shana Mills wrote:Will not do AR, but definitely interested in MO! Current MO residents now. Two adults, three children- wildcrafting skills, plant medicine and food, gardening and food preservation, working knowledge with sustainable systems, and animal care practical knowledge. We are looking for like minded folks to purchase property with. We are pagan, want to live sustainably, have a sense of community with those that live with us, and are avid homeschoolers. We feel that a "buy-in" of $10,000 for each family/individual seems reasonable.

Shana. Have a few questions. Why not AR? I had looked at it as a place and my daughter and brother said no to AR for different reasons. It's not often I run across other Pagans looking to live sustainablly. Which I always find rather weird. I would like to talk to you. If interested send me one of those moose messages. I'm new here and still getting the hang of the site.

Goddess Keep
Angelina

Call 870-283-9757 for info.

Natalya Ryab wrote:We are interested. How do I get in contact with you? We are a family of 5. This reply is for couple in their 50.

Call 870-283-9757 for info.

At present, we are a group of 8 folks interested in forming an IC in Northwest Arkansas. We're are going to have a face-to-face meeting in Huntsville, AR on Sept. 26, 2020. Please contact us if you would like more info, would like to attend or just to get involved in our group chat.

Thanks,

Kirby Mason
310-902-0243

https://www.ic.org/directory/independence-farm-community/

We've updated our name to "Northwest Arkansas Eco-Farm" at least for the time being.

I'm one of the 8 interested. I'll be at the meeting -"Lord willin and the crick don't rise." I'm looking forward to it.

Good morning all. We welcome any thoughts, new ideas, comments and suggestions for the Northwest Arkansas Ecovillage/Intentional Community. Our ideas are not written in stone. Are you interested but have hesitations? What are your concerns? We do NOT have a strict theme, leader or a required religion. Just good people making decisions as a group who want to live healthy, grow organic food, laugh, de-stress, build alternative small homes, be environmentally friendly and share the cost of land. Some will live on the land full-time and others part-time. If interested in joining the group conversation please send me your name, email address and cell # as we are currently conversing in a group text chat. Thanks and have a wonderful day!