Building a Transition Town from the Ground Up!

Building a Transition Town from the Ground Up!

BIG PICTURE:

In case you're unaware, over 1 million Americans own their homes through housing cooperatives, saving thousands of dollars. Also, nearly 2 million American farmers are member-owners in over 2,000 agricultural cooperatives, which offer them wider markets and cost savings. Our modern homesteading community combines both for double the benefits for families looking to live off-grid and off-oil.



SUMMARY:

The Riverbed Ranch is a 250-family, online-but-off-grid, modern homesteading community located in Utah. The community is for families that are determined to live a more self-reliant / self-sustaining lifestyle.
Most of the families that join our community join for one of these reasons:

1. To live a lifestyle independent of mortgage, power, and water bills.

2. To live a healthier lifestyle, eating pesticide-free food and breathing clean air.

3. For safety, either from things now, or things that may come down the road.

4. To create a place where their family can all live, learn and work together.

BENEFITS:

Your $20,000 gets you:

1. Two acres at the Riverbed Ranch modern homesteading community (you get a land cooperative's equivalent of a title, it's called a “proprietary occupancy agreement” and can be bought and sold). Over 1 million Americans own their land and homes through land co-ops.

2. Two acre-feet of water rights (that's 651,702 gallons of well water a year),

3. A vote in the cooperative,

4. Opportunity for group purchases of products and services needed to build your homestead.

5. Opportunity to sell your products and services through the co-op,

6. First stab at job openings within the cooperative, and

7. The opportunity to spearhead the creation of sub-cooperatives to provide jobs and goods and services to the co-op members and/or outside customers.

8. To live around 249 other families who are determined to live self-reliantly.

FEATURES:

The Utah OSR Land Cooperative's Riverbed Ranch modern homesteading community will feature:

• High-speed fiber optic Internet by our partner Beehive Broadband,

• A K-12 school, and other community services (listed below).

• A future BMX bicycle course for kids to enjoy,

• A greenbelt area running up the middle of the community, including a hiking trail, honeybee-friendly trees and bushes, a road, and maybe someday, a creek.

• An RV and camping park. This way, shareholders who so choose can live in the RV park while building out their homestead. And later, guests can stay and enjoy the community.

• Co-op store for importing and exporting goods.

ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY SERVICES

Similar to an industrial park, the Utah OSR Land Cooperative has set aside 40 acres for the following

privately owned and operated services (which will likely all be staffed by local residents):

1. Academy of Self-Reliance higher-learning campus, including a ropes course.

2. The OSR K-12 campus,

3. Assisted Living / Retirement Home

4. Whole Health / Life Coach clinic

5. Child Rescue Home

6. Young Mothers Home

7. Equine / Canine Therapy Barn

MORE INFO:

• Watch a intro webinar here:  https://bit.ly/OSR-peaceful

• schedule to attend one of our tours.

This is fascinating, do you know of other transition towns starting? I’m not ready to be in Utah , I’m in Tennesssee.

Thanks

Bethany Fancher wrote:This is fascinating, do you know of other transition towns starting? I’m not ready to be in Utah , I’m in Tennesssee.

Thanks

Once Riverbed Ranch (the Utah OSR Land Co-op) is self-governing, we'll likely build another in Idaho, then likely Arizona, then Alberta, Canada, and Wyoming.
Assuming the USA is still functional, of course.  

I'm going to read up on it more, I just saw your post this morning. Did I see horse therapy barn listed as one of the things in the community? I might have to move there....at least visit and check it out. Love this idea.

It looks like only 10% of the water rights are given to families. Do you know if it is possible to purchase additional water rights?
The offered 2acre feet of water is only enough for half an acre of garden/orchard. But some has to be used for the house too, so probably closer to just 1/3rd of an acre of garden/berry space

Bethany, the equine therapy barn has been planned from the beginning of our project for the community's "downtown" area.
It will have to be privately funded and operated, as will the other 6 special projects (K-12 school, child rescue center, young mothers' home, etc.).
The co-op will provide all 7 special projects with land and water.
You certainly would be welcome to visit when it's up and running!

I see from your website that you do learning webinars, etc.

Are you also planning on doing the permaculture community stuff such as PDC and/or PEP/SKIP?

Also, do you have a place for visitors to stay?

K Eilander wrote:I see from your website that you do learning webinars, etc.

Are you also planning on doing the permaculture community stuff such as PDC and/or PEP/SKIP?

Also, do you have a place for visitors to stay?

Thanks for letting us know about PEP\SKIP ... Perhaps it would be necessary to add another badge about HUMAN ... The only species that is not functioning according to natural lows is our humanity. Understanding how we are functioning ... recovering our right hemisphere so we get to act according to what is right for all and for us ... working and expressing oneself within you original and personal '' niche ''  ... for us it is crucial. Human Permaculture design help us to reorganize ones Life Design

We are in Quebec Canada ... and also work in the World ... Yes we have place to stay for long term apprenticeship in South India

S Bengi wrote:It looks like only 10% of the water rights are given to families. Do you know if it is possible to purchase additional water rights?
The offered 2acre feet of water is only enough for half an acre of garden/orchard. But some has to be used for the house too, so probably closer to just 1/3rd of an acre of garden/berry space

Sorry, we live in Quebec Canada... and we dont have such limitation ... See permaculture water management steps... Re use the water two or three times   It will increase your quota ...

How can I get more info about this community in Utah?  Where is it located?  Is there someone I can talk with directly?  Thanks.

I would love to help build the next one in Idaho, if that plan is nearly on the horizon!! This sounds just like a dream I have had for years. I even know several folks who would join.

Bumping this thread because this project is huge, serious business, and very awesome.

Bravo!

Really cool to hear that you plan on repeating it in other states and Canada as well!

I didn't check out your website but I would probably encourage others to do so.

I wish I could join but maybe some day I can!

This is intriguing. It looks like they are asking $30,000 for two acres now. That kind of pricing is unimaginably low where I live. But it is located in a desert.

River Bed Ranch

Jeremy VanGelder wrote:This is intriguing. It looks like they are asking $30,000 for two acres now. That kind of pricing is unimaginably low where I live. But it is located in a desert.

River Bed Ranch

Yeah that picture they posted must have been taken at just the right time.

I just see red flags:
- The way the initial post is written
- the lack of information on the linked website
- obvious usage of stock photos on the videos the website has
- no Photos of what is actually happening there
- the implication that things exist, that are just planned

Biggest red flag is probablby the price. 30k for 2 acres of desert and the promise that there will be a community.
It just screams scam at me.

Not the type of scam where someone takes your money and gives you nothing, but the type of scam where you find yourself on barren plot in the desert.

I mean what do the people get for their 30k?

The guy probably paid 30k for all plots together and now subdivides and sells with an image of a community that will probably never exist.

I tend to be pessimistic, so proove me wrong.

R. Han wrote:I just see red flags:
- The way the initial post is written
- the lack of information on the linked website
- obvious usage of stock photos on the videos the website has
- no Photos of what is actually happening there
- the implication that things exist, that are just planned

Biggest red flag is probablby the price. 30k for 2 acres of desert and the promise that there will be a community.
It just screams scam at me.

Not the type of scam where someone takes your money and gives you nothing, but the type of scam where you find yourself on barren plot in the desert.

I mean what do the people get for their 30k?

The guy probably paid 30k for all plots together and now subdivides and sells with an image of a community that will probably never exist.

I tend to be pessimistic, so prove me wrong.

Yeah the line between dreams and scams is often subjective.
Would love to see them succeed, but that is some seriously harsh terrain.

Dave Pennington wrote:
Would love to see them succeed,

Me too. Their ideas sound good.
(Except for their plan to irrigate everthing with well-water, even filling the ponds with well water. This is just not sustainable.)

But asking for 7.5 mio $ without a business plan is something i would expect from a bunch of unexperienced teens,
but those people behind the project look experienced enough to do it properly, so i am wondering why they are not doing a proper transparent campaign?

They need to be open with how munch from the money that they make with selling the plots goes into the community projects,
and how they want to ensure that said community infrastrucutre will be maintained after everyone put down their initial payment.

R. Han wrote:I just see red flags:
- The way the initial post is written
- the lack of information on the linked website
- obvious usage of stock photos on the videos the website has
- no Photos of what is actually happening there
- the implication that things exist, that are just planned

Biggest red flag is probablby the price. 30k for 2 acres of desert and the promise that there will be a community.
It just screams scam at me.

Not the type of scam where someone takes your money and gives you nothing, but the type of scam where you find yourself on barren plot in the desert.

I mean what do the people get for their 30k?

The guy probably paid 30k for all plots together and now subdivides and sells with an image of a community that will probably never exist.

I tend to be pessimistic, so proove me wrong.

Here's some evidence that the project is coming along as planned (all the photos below were taken within the last 30 days):

● Around 34 families are currently living full-time at Riverbed Ranch. The balance of our 130 shareholders are in some stage of planning and executing their plans to build their off-grid homes.  I personally have installed a solar system, septic system, water well, and water distribution system. Have planted one, yes one, apple tree and it's growing phenomenally well considering it's in the desert.  My house is coming along well:


● The founder of the town has planted around 70 fruit trees and they're growing great as well. He plans to plant triticale in between them all.
Here's a shot of some of them:


● Several of our shareholders are already producing food. One family has focused on animals (they have over 100) and their next-door neighbors are producing all kinds of food, including artichokes as seen here:

And these two couples went in together to produce gallons of "pumpkin butter" in the kitchen of the Co-op's Welcome Center:


●  Other construction methods being used at Riverbed Ranch include straw bale:

and here's a well house being built using CEB (compressed earth blocks) made on site:


● "what do the people get for their 30k?" - They get exclusive rights to whichever 2.0 to 2.4 acre lot they pick, PLUS at least 4 acre-feet of water rights.  But the price has gone up again to $35k, due to inflation and because the risk has all been taken by those of us who purchased back when it was just an idea. Now it's a reality.

● "The guy probably paid 30k for all plots together and now subdivides and sells with an image of a community that will probably never exist."
- Um... this is a non-profit agricultural co-op, so there's no one making bank off this. The only investors are those buying shares.

● And we have our own fully-operational gravel pit and concrete plant on site.


● The map of Riverbed Ranch shows that around 130 of the lots are spoken for. The lots colored green are those people living there full-time.

● I take photos of what's actually happening regularly and make update videos showing the progress.
You can see them here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCefJX23MKjnPm2Ta65e9V4Q/videos
And here:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCguOFDY3n46mPEyZqlxWJqw/

That is impressive progress. I'm not a desert person, but it is cool that you all are able to live there and flourish. The one thing that makes it difficult to find out what you guys are doing is the fact that you have 5 different websites, with the information scattered across all of them.

Great progress Jessie and community members! Thank you so much for sharing more pictures and details. Can you show more about how your home was built?  That's just my curiosity though.  My husband and I are in process of building, ourselves.  

Your construction methods look very well done. I hope someday you can post about the compressed earth brick well house. Great idea.

I live in New Mexico, and have a few comments to add:

First, I have looked into how to create intentional communities and coops. I am seriously impressed with what you've accomplished so far.

Second...

Jessie Fisher said:

● "what do the people get for their 30k?" - They get exclusive rights to whichever 2.0 to 2.4 acre lot they pick, PLUS at least 4 acre-feet of water rights.  But the price has gone up again to $35k, due to inflation and because the risk has all been taken by those of us who purchased back when it was just an idea. Now it's a reality.

This seems very reasonable for me.  Right now in NM, I'm trying to figure out if I can get a water right to be able to sell vegetables, seeds, and plants.  4acre-feet would be awesome! You could do a lot with that on 2 acres.

I think that anyone curious about high desert farming and what can be accomplished in a region like Utah would love to read Joseph Lofthouse's threads here on Permies.  Here's a great thread to start with that has lots of photos.  Joseph also has shared in different places how much water the things he grows require.
Photos of Joseph Lofthouse's Garden

Kim Goodwin wrote:Great progress Jessie and community members! Thank you so much for sharing more pictures and details. Can you show more about how your home was built?  <snip>

Sure, Kim!

June 25th, 2022
1. Foundation is poured inside styrofoam forms that stay on as insulation.


June 27th, 2022
2. SimplyBilt crew shows up with all the kit parts. I'm put to work screwing the metal frame girders(?) together:


3. First girder and styrofoam blocks are set in place on the foundation:


4. Wall sections and floor sections are added as they go:


5. By the end of the day, my wife and I are seriously bushed!
We sat up our cots and spent our first night in our new home under the brilliant Milky Way!


June 28th, 2022
6. Next day our awesome contractor, Lance, laid the subfloor while we began work on our septic system.


July 1st, 2022
7. We're back to do more work on our septic drain field to find Lance and his local-teen-helper starting to put up the roof supports:


8. By the end of the day, Lance had three sections of the roof in place:


July 7th
9. We're back at Riverbed Ranch to find Lance and his teenage daughter had finished the roof and added the East-end wall.


July 14th
10. Next time we're out, Lance has the West-end wall up as well:


July 23rd
I arrive early that morning and I fill every gap in the roof with expanding foam.
(From up there, I really enjoyed the view and the distant sound of turkeys gobbling 300 yards north of us).


August 8th
12. Our siding crew has started prepping the exterior for stucco.
Said they'd be done in two weeks.


September 9th
13. The siding crew started only coming out on Saturdays, so progress was SLOW.
Here the exterior walls are all prepped for stucco.


September 17th
14. The exterior is finally finished! Yeah!

What a great concept, and thanks for the pics of your progress. I am aware of other folks putting together similar projects, and if I wasn’t already fully engaged in my own life project (and had the cash to buy and build!), I would consider this option. Please keep us updated, and thanks and congratulations are in order.

Here's an update video showing some of the progress made during October 2022:

Holy cow! It's JULY already!  :)
Here's our update on Riverbed Ranch off-grid community for May:

Here's the next update video we did:

Operation Self-Reliance Update:

We now have 41 families living full-time at Riverbed Ranch

We're just about to launch our 2nd off-grid community:  Coslor Cove, AZ

Watch video of some of the Off-Grid Community Construction Projects during July of 2023 at Riverbed Ranch.

For those wanting to leave the big cities and create a safe haven for their families, I've authored a 87-page ebook titled, "Your Matrix Exit Plan" .

Business Insider just published an article about Riverbed Ranch.

Off-Grid Homesteading Community

Sooo impressive!!

Here's our introductory video about the location of our Arizona off-grid community